Patient Choice Awards are back for the first time since the pandemic

Awards ceremonies recognising staff who brought care, support and smiles to patients will be held again for the first time since the pandemic.

Swansea Bay’s Patient Choice Awards are an opportunity for patients, their families and friends to recognise individuals and teams of healthcare workers who have gone that extra mile over the last year.

The awards were launched in 2015 and involved a series of presentations held at our main hospital sites.

Main image above: staff experience project officer Liz Challacombe with the nomination forms

Unfortunately, in 2020 the health board had to make the difficult decision to put them on hold due to the pandemic and the need to maintain staff and public safety.

Now the good news is that the Patient Choice Awards will make their long-awaited return in the next few months.

Starting from now, patients, their friends and loved ones can use a variety of means to nominate individuals or teams who made such a difference during their time in care.

As before, dates will be scheduled in each of the main hospital sites to present the awards to staff. And those who nominated them will be invited to see them receive their recognition.

We expect the first of these events to take place in the next few months – details will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.

One of the first patients to send in a nomination is Port Talbot mum Carrie Downey (left) – who was given the all-clear from cancer after becoming the first person in Wales to be prescribed a new wonder drug.

The drug, dostarlimab, is a form of immunotherapy that targets a specific variant of colorectal cancer.

Although still being trialled, it is already showing remarkable results, avoiding the need for surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Carrie, who has a teenage son, was offered it by Swansea consultant oncologist Dr Craig Barrington (below right), who has helped pioneer the use of dostarlimab as a routine option for treatment in Wales.

In her nomination, Carrie said: “Dr Barrington not only saved my life but my quality of life.

“I was preparing for major surgery and a permanent stoma when I met him for the first time. He discussed an alternative treatment called immunotherapy for this specific cancer.

“I am so grateful to have met him. He is an outstanding doctor who goes above and beyond for his patients and medicine. Without him, my life would be a lot different now.

“No one deserves this award more than him.”

Julie Lloyd, Swansea Bay’s Head of Culture, Organisational Development and Staff Experience, has been closely involved with the awards since the early days.

“Every year we received many beautiful and touching nominations showing appreciation for our staff, the amazing work they do and the services they provide,” Julie recalled.

“There were some moving moments where many of our senior leaders hosting the events read out the kind messages of appreciation received for our nominated colleagues.

“We heard lovely stories from these patients and visitors of our caring staff who had gone the extra mile and made a big impact on the quality of care received, both during and outside their working hours.

“There were hugs, too, from patients who wanted to attend and thank staff personally.”

Posters encouraging people to submit nominations, along with nomination forms, will be distributed across our sites.

There will also be collection boxes at the volunteer desks in our hospitals, where completed forms can be dropped off during office hours.

The poster includes a QR code providing access to a digital nomination form. There is also a dedicated phone number along with email and postal addresses – see the end of this release for details.

We’ll also be using social media to promote the awards, and there is now a special section on the Swansea Bay website.

Please follow this link to the Patient Choice Awards section.

Chief Executive Richard Evans said: “These events are about recognising our staff who strive to provide high quality patient care every day.

"But for some patients this means so much, staff going the extra mile and providing exceptional care, who live our health board’s values and put the patients at the centre of everything they do.”

Nominate by emailing SBU.PatientChoice@wales.nhs.uk, calling 01639 862839 or using the online form available by clicking here. Physical nomination forms are also available in our hospitals. You can also return via post to: Culture, OD & Staff Experience Team, Morriston Education Centre, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, SA6 6NL.