University Hospital Southampton awards 2024: The winners

Among the winners was volunteer of the year Norman Bainbridge who has gained a new lease of life since volunteering two days a week, raising £8,000 for new equipment and helping set up a scheme to deliver free copies of the Daily Echo to patients.

Following the loss of his wife Yvonne to dementia and his daughter Alison Thomas to cancer, he has thrown himself into helping patients and staff, and is said to always go 'above and beyond'.

There was not a dry eye in the house as Norman collected his award to a standing ovation, following a special message from his proud granddaughter, 12-year-old Sophia Thomas.

(Image: Stuart Martin)

READ MORE: Couple celebrate engagement after Dad gives blessing from beyond the grave

The event, held at the Hilton Southampton at the Utilita Bowl, saw a total of 24 awards across four categories presented to individuals and teams from UHS - recognising outstanding patient care, teamwork and innovation.

UHS chief executive David French, pictured hosting the event alongside chief nurse Gail Byrne, spoke of his pride on hearing the inspiring and uplifting stories of colleagues going the extra mile for patients, each other and the hospital. 

The outstanding contributions category saw Dr Catherine Hill, associate professor in child health, win the ‘Members’ award’ for her work with the paediatric sleep disorder service, while Jack Toomer, of Toomers Ltd, received the ‘Charity in the community award’ for raising more than £44k for cancer care at UHS. 

The patients first category saw the ‘Outstanding outcomes award (clinical)’ presented to hepatology clinical nurse specialist Rebecca Robbins, who leads the Southampton City Hepatitis C treatment outreach programme, which has achieved its targets a year ahead of schedule.

(Image: Stuart Martin)David French said: “Each year I am blown away listening to the inspiring stories behind the nominations for these awards and this year was no different.

“We know how hard colleagues work, day in and day out, during times of extreme pressure and when issues arise, they plough on and never waver in ensuring our patients continue to receive the very best care – our people really are world-class.

(Image: Stuart Martin) The full list of winners, chosen from 13,000 who work for UHS, is: 

𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥):   

The single-handed care team 

𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Sophie Sinnott 

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Dermatology team – RSH  

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥):  

Jennifer Milner/Experience of care team  

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

D7 SDEC MDT team  

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Sophie Limb  

Patients first category

𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Rebecca Robbins 

𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥):  

Lorraine Read 

𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Nicky Roberts  

𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Basia Kuzia  

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫): 

Norman Bainbridge 

Working together category

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Shane Valentin 

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥):  

Julie Taylor 

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Saly Elavunkal  

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Jo Tizard  

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

Adult home ventilation physiotherapy nursing and medical team  

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

HEMS care group dispatch team  

Outstanding contribution awards

𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲): 

Mel Looker 

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝: 

Jack Toomer 

𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝: 

Nik Pillon (radiology) 

𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝: 

Dr Catherine Hill and the paediatric sleep disorder service 

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫’𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝:  

Day gynae unit  

𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

The radiopharmacy and nuclear medicine teams  

𝐂𝐄𝐎 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 (𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥): 

The HCA hub