Portsmouth hospital cleaners commended in staff awards to celebrate unsung heroes

Tina Moth and Moira Forsyth are well known on Spinnaker Ward at St Mary’s Community Health Complex, Portsmouth, where they have worked together for seven years.

This week the duo were honoured as part of the first Solent NHS Estates and Facilities staff awards to give credit to cooks, cleaners and other unsung heroes who work behind the scenes to keep Solent’s hospitals and health buildings running smoothly.

Over the past year, Solent’s Estates and Facilities team of more than 300 has worked to ensure its many sites, mainly across the Southampton and Portsmouth area, continue to operate safely and effectively.

Described as exceptional cleaners, Tina and Moira are keen to throw themselves into their domestic duties.

But on top of the cleaning, Tina and Moira are always on the look out for ways to make things better for the patients.

Sue Long, facilities operations manager, said: ‘The pair are always chatting to the patients to make sure they are comfortable and have the confidence to speak up if they can see someone needs something.

‘Despite their often hot and uncomfortable work, they are always so kind and friendly to everyone, patients and staff alike.’

Tina has been known to bring in a toothbrush, toothpaste or other toiletries for the occasional patient who arrives without.

They have also bought newspapers for patients, successfully asked for television screens to be introduced in patient rooms and sourced puzzle books to cheer up a particular patient.

Now the pair have been highly commended in the first Solent NHS Estates and Facilities staff awards for always going above and beyond for patients at St Mary’s.

Sue said: ‘These two are a credit to Spinnaker Ward, Solent Estates and Facilities and indeed the wider NHS. We are so lucky to have them.’

Moira has just clocked up 25 years’ service at St Mary’s after working in the laundry initially, while Tina isn’t far behind at 19 years.

The pair were presented with framed certificates, chocolates and water bottles by Richard Walker, head of facilities, in the inaugural awards, designed to celebrate outstanding colleagues across Solent NHS sites.

Asked what they enjoyed most about their job, both Tina and Moira said without hesitation: ‘The patients.’

Now every member of Solent NHS Estates and Facilities is to receive a thank you cupcake and a specially designed badge as a small token of appreciation for all their hard work.

Mark Young, associate director of Estates Transformation, said: ‘Although so much of our work goes on in the background and is primarily about buildings, we are absolutely an industry of people.

‘It’s our passionate and committed staff who determine our success, and this day of national celebration provides us with the perfect opportunity to thank them for everything they do.’

Andrew Strevens, chief executive, Solent NHS Trust, said: ‘Our Estates and Facilities team has an excellent reputation which just keeps growing.

‘We are lucky at Solent to have such an amazing group of people who pull together to deliver outstanding results; the team is critical in the delivery of continued high quality patient care and I welcome this opportunity to recognise and celebrate that.’