Healthcare support worker at Oswestry hospital wins national award for dedication
A long-serving healthcare support worker at Oswestry's hospital has been presented with a prestigious national award.
Claire Partridge, who works in the practice development team at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH), won the chief nursing officer’s Award for Healthcare Support Workers in the ‘commitment to quality of care’ category.
She is the first healthcare support worker from Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to gain the award.
Jodie Powell, assistant director of nursing and quality for NHS England in the Midlands, presented the award to Claire on behalf of Professor Nina Morgan, the regional chief nurse.
Jodie said: “It was a privilege to be able to present this award, and to give it to our first ever recipient from the health system in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. It serves as a signal of the dedication of the whole practice development team at RJAH, and the strong nursing leadership at the trust.”
Claire has worked at the hospital for more than 17 years, holding roles on numerous wards before her recent move to join the practice development team.
She said: “I was shocked but proud when told I had won this award. I see it as an achievement not just for me but for all the healthcare support workers at RJAH.”
She was nominated for the award by Debi Clutton, practice development nurse at the hospital.
Debi said: “With the introduction of a new simulation lab, Claire had a vision to develop a training package that could empower staff with the confidence, skills and knowledge to enable them to deliver and practice high-quality hands-on care in a controlled, safe environment. She has been a gold standard asset to the team.”
Paul Kavanagh-Fields, chief nurse and patient safety officer at RJAH, said: “Healthcare support workers play a really important role in caring for our patients and supporting our clinical teams. Claire is an inspiration to myself and to all of her colleagues."
