Awards ceremony congratulates NHS staff on outstanding accomplishments

NHS staff working at the region’s integrated care board were the focus of an awards ceremony which saw a celebration of achievements made across the organisation.

Intended as the first of an annual series of presentations to staff who had made exceptional contributions to the health of local people, the event saw nine awards made in different categories.

Among the winners were:

• Kirsty Thompson, a project manager implementing a new education package for NHS staff on learning disabilities and autism, who has ensured that 1,300 local NHS staff have been trained in the first six months since it was introduced.
• A team of nurses responsible for quality improvement in nursing homes in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, who have created a professional development community for nurses who often feel isolated because of the physical distance between them and their peers.
• Jane Hayter, from the contracts team, who takes a special interest in patient transport and takes special care to reflect individual patients’ preferences in their travel arrangements.
• The Luton place team, for its exceptional work in building partnerships with colleagues in the local authority and primary care sectors, particularly around smoking cessation services.
• Dipa Munna, an administrator in the primary care team, for her highly efficient organisation of the team’s workload whilst covering vacancies as well as her own role.
• Samita Dass, a manager in the transformation team, who shares her experiences of working in the NHS as a hijabi Muslim woman, and the perceptions and prejudices which she faces as a consequence.
• Sarah Frisby, senior community engagement manager, for her emotionally intelligent team management, which provides support and a friendly ear to staff on their own terms.
• Natasha Pilgrim, communications officer, for her outstanding achievement in programming, publicising and hosting a series of online seminars for the ICB’s Black Leaders Week in July 2024.
• Alex Wrack, head of the Bedford Borough place team, for her astute judgment, transparency and adaptability in her first NHS role, having moved from the local authority sector.

Felicity Cox, chief executive of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said:

“NHS staff move mountains every day to commission and provide the best possible care to patients.

“I’ve been bowled over by the range of reasons given for the nominations made.  Despite my best efforts to get out and about in the organisation and the wider community, I had little knowledge of some of the projects and activities, such is the range of achievement and dedication of our workforce.

“Acknowledging our staff for going over and above in their work is so important, and I’m hoping this will be the first of an annual series of events where we can recognise their accomplishments.”

The awards were handed out at an event in Flitwick which also congratulated 51 staff on long service totalling over 1,500 years.