Oxford Health celebrates staff with annual awards

Oxford Health has celebrated the work of its staff after receiving a record number of nominations for its annual staff awards.

The trust acknowledged the exceptional contributions of teams and individuals over the last year.

Once again, the task of selecting nominees alongside eventual champions fell upon the judging panel.

Dudzayi Mandaza was a runner-up in the Delivering Care Award (Image: Oxford Health)

The award ceremony hosted 16 award presentations, recognising both individual and teams.

Cherwell Ward, City Community Hospital and Sandford Ward (Fulbrook Centre) were joint winners of the Clinical Team-work Award for their work to ensure patients were safely moved and cared for when a fault with the fire alarm system meant patients had to be evacuated on safety grounds.

Meanwhile, Debbie Walton was also recognised after she led the setting up of Oxford Health’s network of Keystone Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs.

The most recent of these opened earlier this week in Kidlington. She has been with Oxford Health for 37 years and is set to retire at the end of the month.

Each award was aligned with an NHS People Promise, with this year's event showcasing the themes of 'Our Oxford Heath Foundation Trust Team' and kindness.

Taking place at the Belfry in Thame and conducted by the trust’s health and wellbeing team, Charmaine De Souza, chief people officer, and Ashley Harvey, Oxford healthcare improvement manager, co-hosted the gathering.

Trust chair David Walker delivered a keynote speech before the main presentations and a welcome was extended to everyone by trust chief executive Grant Macdonald.

The PPE team were runners-up in the Flexible Non-clinical Team Award (Image: Oxford Health)

Both spoke to the need for recognition and the contribution staff make year-round, to deliver the best possible care to their patients and the community.

Those present heard of the positivity, can-do attitude and innovate approaches to their work and care.

Mr Macdonald said: "It is really important that as an organisation we actively recognise, praise and celebrate the difference that comes from going ‘the extra mile’.

"Every nomination represents a very real positive impact that someone has made to the life of an individual or family and the judging panel had a very difficult job narrowing them down to just those in the room. Simply being shortlisted is a major achievement.

"I’d like to thank everyone right across Oxford Health for the hard work and commitment and, once again, congratulate all those whose work resulted in them being shortlisted or winning in their category."

The event served as a platform to appreciate and reward the staff across the trust, celebrating their hard-work, professionalism, and dedication to the trust's values of caring, safe and excellent, along with championing this year’s theme of kindness and teams.