Recognition for service at the heart of compassionate care | News

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Service at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has been honoured at a recent awards night after giving a patient her life back.

The Service scooped the prestigious Dr Kate Granger Compassionate Care Award at the Trust’s own annual Celebrating Excellence awards. This award, one of 11 categories recognised at the event, has extra significance as it is nominated by the public.

After spending time in hospital following an unforeseen cardiac event Susan Muscroft from Mirfield was contacted by the team when she returned home so they could help and support her rehabilitation.She said:

Their positivity was so encouraging, reassuring me that they would get me up on my feet again.

I was able to join the Cardiac Rehab Exercise Programme – here the team took us through exercise routines, monitoring heart, blood pressure and oxygen levels throughout – ensuring we were all safe. Nothing was too much trouble for them, there was always someone at the end of the phone to allay any worries and to give advice.

Quite simply, this team have given me my life back and I can never thank them enough. Without their input I fear I would be a fragile old lady, still sitting on the sofa, too afraid to venture out. Have I received great care and been shown compassion… indeed I have.

The Dr Kate Granger Compassionate Care Award is in memory of Dr Kate Granger, a much loved and respected colleague who sadly lost her battle with cancer in 2016. Kate was a passionate advocate for compassionate care, known for initiating the ‘Hello my name is…’ campaign. The award allows patients, relatives and visitors to express their gratitude to staff members or teams who have provided outstanding care and compassion.

The recognition of the Dewsbury Cardiac Rehabilitation Service highlights the unwavering commitment to compassionate care that Dr Granger championed. The award is a testament to the team's dedication to improving patient outcomes and providing heartfelt support to those in their care.

The Dewsbury Cardiac Rehabilitation Service receiving their award from Chairman Keith Ramsay (far left) and Chris Pointon (co-founder of the ‘Hello, my name is…’ campaign) (far right) 

The Celebrating Excellence Awards received over 180 high-quality entries this year, making the judges' task of selecting winners challenging. Each nomination reflected the dedication and commitment of Trust staff to delivering exceptional healthcare.

Also honoured with an award was Laura Midwood, Lead Practitioner in the Deteriorating Adult Response Team (DART). 

Laura Midwood (Lead Practitioner) receiving her award from Alan Mighell (University Nominated Non-Executive Director) and Chris Evans (Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive)

Laura is a leading practitioner who ensures patients receive the highest standard of care, regardless of the hour or circumstance. She was the winner of the Excellence in Leadership Award.

Dedicated to enhancing patient outcomes, Laura’s work is centred around a belief in the strong impact of early recognition and escalation of deteriorating patients. She ensures that every patient receives the highest standard of care, no matter the time or situation.

In addition Laura was instrumental in ensuring a 24/7 implementation within the DART service, recognising the need for round-the-clock support for patients. Since the rollout referral numbers have increased, leading to improvements in patient outcomes and safety.

During Deteriorating Patient Focus Week and the launch of DART, Laura and her team provided on-the-spot training to staff. Their efforts, which included distributing learning resources and guidance on sepsis recognition, gained praise from the senior management teams and beyond.

Laura has genuine commitment to support the growth of her team. She listens to the views and opinions of everyone and acts on concerns to drive continuous improvement.

Of her Excellence in Leadership Award, Laura said:

I am proud and privileged to receive this award and to lead such an incredible team. Without their ongoing support and dedication, the changes to the service wouldn't have been as successful and we wouldn't have achieved such a positive impact for the patients within our community.

Rebecca Saville, Assistant Director of Nursing, who nominated Laura for the award, said:

I am delighted that Laura has won this award. She firmly believes that the best way to improve patient care is by working as a team, using everyone’s individual experiences and qualities and bringing them together.

Chairman Keith Ramsay said:

The award winners set a remarkably high standard, displaying their constant dedication, passion and unwavering commitment to our patients. Our staff are inspiring to others and consistently surpass expectations, demonstrating their devotion to our Trust’s values and behaviours.

Further winners of the 2024 Celebrating Excellence Awards:

Celebrating Excellence winners table

Name and role	Award	Base	Comments from nomination
Glen Lynn, Ward Befriender	Volunteer of the Year	Pinderfields Hospital	“Glen is an exceptionally patient and caring man which makes him an ideal volunteer to provide shadowing to new volunteers.”
Laura Midwood, Lead Practitioner	Excellence in Leadership	Pinderfields Hospital	“Laura firmly believes that the best way to improve patient care is by working as a team, using everyone’s individual experiences and qualities and bringing them together.”
Substance Care Team	Inclusion, Equality and Diversity Award	Pinderfields Hospital	“The team’s passion to provide an excellent patient experience, particularly for these vulnerable patients is something that really shines through.”
Charlie Tilburn, Project Manager	Individual Outstanding Achievement Award – Non-clinical	Dewsbury and District Hospita	“Charlie has consistently set and surpassed expectations, demonstrating a relentless pursuit of excellence in every aspect of his work.”
Sally Jennians, Paediatric Diabetes Nurse Specialist	Individual Outstanding Achievement Award – Clinical	Pinderfields and Pontefract hospitals	“Sally is passionate about the support she provides for the young people under her care and the staff she leads.”
Ian Noble, Clinical Procurement Specialist	Sustainability Award	Pinderfields Hospital	“Ian has worked diligently to embrace the dual agendas of waste reduction and sustainability in the course of his work.”
Neonatal Services	Outstanding Service Improvement, Research and Innovation Award	Across sites	“The team have shown incredible determination this past year to improve the service and move it forward.”
Kayleigh Ioannou, Mark Wilkinson (Clinical Educators) and Emma McNally (Unit Manager)	My Unsung Hero Award	Dewsbury and District Hospital	“This has inspired and motivated staff…to really think about how they can go the extra mile to make a difference.”
Switchboard Team	Excellence in Non-clinical Service – Team Award	Pinderfields Hospital	"Each and every call the Switchboard team takes is dealt with with the upmost care and compassion.”
Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) Team	Excellence in Clinical Service – Team Award	Pinderfields Hospital	“The whole aim of the ACSA process is to provide the highest standards of anaesthesia care to improve patient outcomes.”

No NHS funding was used to finance the Celebrating Excellence Awards event. It was entirely funded through the sale of tickets and the generous support of our sponsors:

Sovereign Health Care
Consort Healthcare 
NHS Professionals
Equans 
JC1
Staff Lottery