Vote for your winner now! Wrexham health workers shortlisted for prestigious achievement award

Two health workers who work tirelessly to support mental health and cancer patients in Wrexham have been shortlisted in this year’s prestigious BCUHB Achievement Awards.

Harriet Mallott and Pam Wedley, who both work at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital, are amongst 11 health stars across the region who are in the running to receive the Seren Betsi Gold Award.

Each month the Seren Betsi Award is presented each month by Chief Executive Gary Doherty to a member of staff, team or volunteer in the Health Board in recognition of their efforts to go above and beyond.

But this year for the first time, the public can vote for one of the previous winners of this award, to win an annual Seren Betsi Gold Award.

Harriet Mallott has been shortlisted because of her work with older adults with mental health problems; having raised over £2,500 to fund therapeutic activities and new medical equipment for Hydref Ward at the Heddfan Unit at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Harriet works with the Royal Voluntary Service charity and this year shaved off her long blonde hair and donated it to The Little Princess Trust, a charity which makes real hair wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

Pam Wedley is the senior Macmillion information facilitator based at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. She has demonstrated dedication to cancer patients by improving her Welsh and learning British Sign Language to help her communicate better with patients.

Pam has also introduced a vital counselling service and a hair loss service in the cancer information and support centre. She also established memory boxes for the families of palliative care patients and raises the money for these by holding bakery demonstrations in her own time and also collecting donations.

You can vote for your winner here – with votes closing on October 12th 2018.

The winner will be revealed at the BCUHB Achievement Awards on the 9 November 2018 at Venue Cymru.

Further information about the nine other nominees across the North Wales health board can be found below:

Ysbyty Gwynedd Dewi (Children’s) Ward staff

The team were nominated by parents Oswyn and Sarah Williams who are grateful for the outstanding support provided to their son Jack, who has complex care needs after being born in 2016 at 26 weeks old and weighing less than 1kg. The team are also credited with saving Jack’s life following a severe choking attack last year.

Jack has been admitted to Dewi ward over 20 times in the last year and the Williams’ praised the dedication of the staff to not only patients, but their families as well.

Amanda Durber, Llandudno Hospital

Specialist osteoporosis nurse Sister Amanda Durber cares for patients living with osteoporosis and bone-related conditions and works tirelessly to raise funds and awareness for the National Osteoporosis Society. She organised a team-building 206 mile walk across North Wales to raise funds for the charity last year, having previously climbed Snowdon in September 2016.

She also organised for Conwy Castle to be bathed in orange light as part of a national campaign to raise awareness of the condition.

Barry Walkden, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

Dementia support worker Barry Walkden, who works on the Care of the Elderly ward at Glan Clwyd Hospital, has shown true dedication to caring for patients.

He goes the extra mile – even offering to come in during his own time over a weekend so that a patient could be reunited with his pet dog!

A relative of a patient said “It’s not only his help with my dad but his caring, understanding attitude towards us as a family that sets him apart from the rest. The ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude is invaluable and very much appreciated by us all.”

Eirian Owen, Ysbyty Gwynedd

Dementia Support Worker Eirian Owen has been described as a ‘true ray of sunshine’ putting patients first, working as part of the team and valuing and respecting patients, staff and relatives alike.

Her caring attitude and calm, respectful manner always puts patients living with dementia at ease.

Nothing is too much trouble for Eirian and patients look forward to seeing her every day. She’s been praised for taking the time to sit and listen to patients and also play games and reminisce with them.

Fiona Luff, Colwyn Bay Hospital

Speech therapist Fiona has a “relentless determination to improve the day to day life of the children in her care and their families” say Fiona’s colleagues.

Fiona has developed a potentially life-saving system to minimise the risk of children choking. She worked with schools in Conwy and Denbighshire to develop the innovative colour-coded advice system which immediately alerts lunchtime assistants, teachers, health workers and carers about the needs of children with eating and drinking problems. Fiona’s innovative work is making a significant difference to many children’s mealtime routines.

Liana Shirley

Liana is a community-based cardiac imaging specialist helping revolutionise community heart imaging services for residents in rural locations. Liana helps run a mobile clinic that offers patients with potentially life-threatening heart problems access to assessment, diagnosis and treatment close to home, rather than travel to their nearest district general hospital.

Stroke Early Supported Discharge Team, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

The team help stroke patients to rehabilitate into family and community life, guiding them along the way. The team consists of a range of experts including occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists, who work together to assess each patient and provide a recovery programme tailored to each individual.

Amanda Rossell Smith, Ysbyty Alltwen

Podiatrist Amanda Rossell Smith is renowned amongst her colleagues for her experience and high skills levels, her willingness to teach others, and total commitment to improving access to podiatry services in the local community. Through study and extensive personal effort she provides services previously only available in Ysbyty Gwynedd at Ysbyty Alltwen.

She is unfailingly kind and enthusiastic and liaises extensively with nursing and primary care colleagues, the renal unit and local social services to ensure her patients are cared for promptly in the most appropriate location.

Myra Sutton, Flintshire

Dedicated district nurse Myra Sutton stepped in to help when staff could not get to work in the heavy snowfall during December 2017, making sure vulnerable patients who couldn’t get out of their homes received their vital medication.

Myra showed bravery in battling her way through the atrocious conditions, abandoning her vehicle and walking miles to reach her diabetic and palliative care patients to make sure they were comfortable and had the medical care they needed.