Awards night to celebrate QA Hospital nurses

The Portsmouth Hospitals Nurse of the Year Awards are taking place next month with staff from across Queen Alexandra Hospital nominated in the 12 categories.

The night has been organised by Portsmouth businessman Paul Thomas who has treated at the Cosham hospital following an accident abroad.

He said he was really grateful to the team of nurses who gave him high-quality care despite being under pressure.

As a thank you he set about putting on the event and, with just a fortnight to go, is looking forward to the night.

Nurses nominated for the awards will be joined by colleagues and family for the event at the Marriott Hotel, in Portsmouth, on May 11.

One of the nurses put forward is Karen Dine, a paediatric nurse. She works across the children’s department.

She said: ‘I am really blown away. I work with such an amazing team and it is so lovely to be recognised for the great work my team and I do.’

Karen’s colleague Claire Roberts was also short-listed for the Children and Midwifery Award. Claire has worked on the starfish ward for the past nine years.

She said: ‘I was stunned when I heard I had been nominated. I work with such lovely people so to be acknowledged is amazing.’

Megan Morris, Holly Compton and Andy Gillon have been nominated for the Education Award. The trio are practice educators in the Medicine for Older People ward.

Megan has worked in the NHS for 40 years and said she was surprised by the nomination.

Holly, who started as a support worker before completing her nursing training at QA Hospital, was equally surprised.

She said: ‘I was shocked to be nominated for this award. I am proud of the work I do and to be acknowledged for this along with my team is great.’

Other categories include chief nursing officer, children and midwifery award, health care support worker, nursing student award and lifetime achievement award.

Theresa Murphy, chief nurse at QA Hospital, welcomed the chance for staff to be recognised.

She said: ‘The Nurse of the Year awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognise excellence among our nursing staff.

‘We are indebted to Mr Thomas for organising the awards. It promises to be an inspirational evening.’