The ceremony for the Devon and Cornwall PAFTAS was held on the 14th May and proved to be a night of celebration for colleagues at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. As well as being named joint Team of the Year alongside services in Torbay, Exeter, Barnstaple, and Plymouth, the RCHT also went on to win two additional categories: Consultant Hero for Chris Williams, and The Debbie Eadie Award for Advance Nurse Practice for Lucy Williams.
“The Paediatric Awards are a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of our teams,” explains Dr Katy Huxstep, Consultant Paediatrician with Expertise in Cardiology for the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust. “The awards promote best practice, celebrate positivity and really highlight the work that we do in the best possible light.”
“The main aim isn’t to win,” Katy continues. “It’s the nomination itself that most colleagues take pride in. It’s about that expression of gratitude and bringing awareness to the work of a particular team or colleague in a truly positive way. This year’s ceremony was one of the biggest yet, with over 600 nominations received from all different staff groups, with over 100 people attending the in-person ceremony.”
“While the South West is a fairly large region, spread out across different counties, we do still have the feeling of a close-knit community. The ceremony provides an opportunity for people to attend the dinner, to meet colleagues from different hospitals and different regions, to network, and to share a little bit about our work.”
The PAFTAS are open to all teams and services. Individuals can nominate someone in a specific category, for example junior doctors, senior doctors, consultants, educational supervisors, as well as senior nurses, junior nurses, allied health professionals, among others. The categories also include secretaries, cleaners, admin staff, and anyone in a department that you want to highlight, say thank you to, or that have been responsible for work that is deserving of an award.
Dr Chris Williams, Consultant Paediatrician for the RCHT, said: “I was proud to win this award. It is good to know that your effort is appreciated by the people you work with. Paediatrics has always been a team-based speciality so I really couldn’t have won this PAFTA without the support of some great colleagues. You are all wonderful and I still enjoy coming to work every day. Thank you to all the fabulous RCHT child health team!”
Lucy Williams, Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioner, said: “I’m very proud to have received the award and it’s really nice to know that you are appreciated by the team.”
Mel Gilbert, Paediatric Matron, said: “I’m extremely proud to see so many nursing nominations for colleagues at RCHT. After another challenging year, the nursing teams have continued to go above and beyond, and this has been reflected in the nominations.”
“This was arguably the biggest PAFTAS in the country and one that covers the biggest staff group,” Katy concludes. “At the RCHT, we had nominations in every category, with a number of colleagues from our hospitals being shortlisted for their work. It’s a great result for our department and for our hospitals. To have two winners, as well as being named joint team of the year, is a remarkable achievement.”
