Laurie King, BSc (Hons) MSc MChS FCPodMed, Clinical Lead for the Diabetic Foot, was recently awarded a Meritorious Award by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, at the House of Lords. 

Laurie has worked for the Trust (and its predecessor organisations) since 1983.  He developed one of the first acute diabetic foot services in the UK and in 1993 established one of the UK’s first inter-disciplinary clinics for the diabetic foot, incorporating podiatry, diabetology, microbiology, orthopaedics and vascular services.  The clinic is the specialist resource in Oxfordshire for patients with complex foot problems as well as for training senior podiatrists working in the community.

Laurie completed a Masters in wound healing and is on the Executive Committee of Foot in Diabetes UK.  He has been a member of Faculty for the Oxford University European Wound Healing Summer School for over 10 years, which educates healthcare professionals from five continents.  In 1996 he took part in a project to improve diabetes care in Azerbaijan.

He also runs the foot care module of the diabetes course at the University of Warwick medical school and lectures locally to specialist registrars and nurses. 

Dr Charlotte Allan, a Specialist Trainee Doctor at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, has been named Core Psychiatric Trainee of the Year 2011 by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych)

The annual RCPsych Awards mark the highest level of achievement within psychiatry, and are designed to recognise and reward excellent practice in the field of mental health.

Dr Allan was presented with her award by Professor Sir Neil Douglas, Chairman of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, at a prestigious ceremony held at the Royal Society of Medicine on 15th November and hosted by actress Maureen Lipman.

Competition for the RCPsych Awards is extremely tough, and Charlotte was shortlisted to the final 4 entrants. The judging panels were impressed by the quality of this year’s entries but said: “Dr Charlotte Allan was chosen as Core Psychiatric Trainee of the Year due to her exceptional achievements in both her clinical and academic work. Dr Allan has consistently demonstrated leadership, initiative and innovation with inspirational results during her short career in psychiatry.”

Finally, Lucy Domoney, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Lucy has won a prestigious fellowship to support young people with complex needs.  Lucy is undertaking a research programme to improve the way children with complex needs are managed as they become adults.

Lucy started the ‘Clinical Fellowship in Service Improvement’ programme, which is funded by NHS South Central, in September.  The project she has chosen will focus on ‘transition to adulthood’: young people with learning disabilities and health needs can find this is an anxious and confusing time, as support from various agencies changes around them.  An ill-managed transition risks poor health outcomes, while a well-coordinated transition contributes to a young person’s wellbeing and willingness to comply with further health support.  Her research will explore these themes, aiming to arrive at a better understanding of how these vulnerable young people can best be supported by various agencies.

Our congratulations go to Laurie, Charlotte and Lucy.