NHS Dumfries and Galloway staff who are finalists in the Scottish Health Awards await exciting news of this year’s winner, to be announced next month at a fantastic ceremony in the country’s capital city.
The three finalists, nominated in the Allied Health Professional, Support Worker and Midwife categories for their contribution, commitment and dedication to their teams, patients and the service that they work in have all been surprised and delighted to have been nominated for the award.
Karen Robertson, Occupational Therapist for Children and Young People, was nominated for the Allied Health Professional Award by her colleague Deborah Little. She wanted to acknowledge Karen’s contribution throughout her career within Children, Young People and Families Occupational Therapy Services. Examples of that contribution being her part in setting up the local Joint Therapy Neonatal and Developmental Follow Up service, contributing to the Royal College of Occupational Therapy Neonatal and Developmental Follow Up practice guideline, and leading various projects within her team.
Karen said:
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Deborah for her kind nomination and to all those who have influenced and inspired me in my work along the way. I have such respect and admiration for Deborah and feel truly inspired by her work, and absolutely extend that to all of my team members.
“To be nominated for this award is extremely unexpected, let alone what it means to be a finalist! As much as this reflects on my individual work contributions, I feel strongly that it is recognition of my wider teams’ value, hard work and dedication to impacting lives of those we work with. I’ve had such a positive response from colleagues, as news about me being included as a finalist has spread. I am part of a very small team which in itself is part of a wider Allied Health Professional team. Our team work extremely hard and the service and levels of professionalism that I am fortunate to be a part of continue to amaze me.
“I also have the privilege to work alongside and learn from many colleagues out with my team including fantastic medical and children’s/neonatal nursing colleagues and many additional support teams within education.
“The very special thing about my job is that over the years I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many wonderful children, young people and their families.”
Tammie Jamieson, Support Worker within Women and Children’s Services was nominated by manager Angie Adams for her commitment to looking after her colleagues, especially throughout the pandemic.
Tammie set up a staff tuck shop in the wards where she works. Set up pre pandemic by colleagues who then went off on maternity leave she took on the task herself, and is still doing it now. This involved stocking the shop and dealing with the cash aspect of running it, all done on her days off work and which during the pandemic was so needed and harder to maintain.
Tammie said: “At first when I heard the news I was surprised and thought oh no as I don’t do well with accepting compliments, but at the same time I appreciated so much Angie nominating me. It means so much knowing that what I’ve been doing has really helped my colleagues, and I am proud to be representing Dumfries and Galloway.
“I am very humbled to be nominated. It’s been a hard couple of years and I am just grateful that I work with such amazing people in Maternity and Birthing. I think so many of them are more deserving of an award than me so I’m a finalist for each and every one of them.”
Anna Campbell, finalist in the Midwife of the Year category was nominated by a local lady who she looked after during labour for the birth of her baby girl, now aged three.
Anna said: “It is lovely to be recognised for the care I provided and even more so that the mum of the little girl has remembered that after all this time. When she contacted me to let me know I was surprised and delighted. I want to thank her for taking the time to make the nomination.
“I feel undeserving as I currently work on the bank and do shifts when I can and I can’t help but feel it should be the permanent staff who are there week after week, shift after shift putting the hours in to keep the service going who should be recognised. This nomination is reflective of the service as a whole, it is a massive team of people working together. No one person can do it alone. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues for everything they do.
“It is so uplifting to be recognised and above all to know I’m doing my job right and well enough for someone to take the time to nominate me.”
Caroline Cooksey, Workforce Director, NHS D&G, said: “I would like to congratulate all three finalists on their nominations. This is testament to their hard work and dedication caring for the people they look after that they are being recognised through these awards.
“It is also testament to how well our staff work together to provide the service that they do and at the same time encouraging, inspiring and supporting each other. All three finalists have acknowledged and thanked their colleagues as being a big part of them being nominated and becoming finalists.
“I am proud to be part of an organisation that fosters and displays such talent, creativity and dedication within our workforce. I wish Karen, Tammie and Anna a wonderful evening celebrating at the awards event.”
