Bicester District Nurses won the team of the month award for September while Kathryn Tolson, Named Nurse and Operational Manager for The Phoenix Team, the Looked After Children’s service in East Oxford, was winner of the individual award.

For Kathryn and Bicester team leaders Sam Longshaw and Laura Wood, their wins came as a complete shock.

Each had been invited to attend a low-key face-to-face meeting at the Warneford Hospital alongside their respective managers and were ushered into the Powic building where a special ensemble was waiting.

In spite of their masks, puzzlement was etched on their faces as they each met Trust Chair David Walker, Chief Executive Dr Nick Broughton, Director of Corporate Affairs Kerry Rogers and Lead Governor Mike Hobbs.

And then the secret was out as the Chair revealed the purpose of their visit.

He explained the importance of recognising members of the Oxford Health family who are judged to have gone above and beyond in their work.

The Bicester District Nursing Team won an engraved glass trophy, £100 voucher and a framed certificate signed by the CEO and Chair, while Kathryn received a £50 voucher, trophy and certificate signed by the Chair, Kerry Rogers and Mike Hobbs,

The new EPA is designed to better support a revitalised culture that celebrates Our People and the Trust as a great place to work and thrive.

The deserving winners for September were chosen from more than 40 nominations put forward and judged by either a panel of governors or executive.

Kerry Rogers said:

“Thank you to everyone who has put forward teams and individuals for these awards. The presentation was such a wonderful event and great opportunity to thank these teams face-to-face for all their exceptional work and commitment.

“We all recognise there are so many teams and people throughout the organisation doing incredible work, but I hope you will join me in congratulating our September winners. We are all looking forward to seeing who will win in October.”

“Just the thing we need as a team”

Bicester District Nursing Team’s award was collected by team leaders Laura Wood and Sam Longshaw. They said:

“It was such a surprise. We thought we were coming for a meeting and then thought we were in the wrong place. We weren’t expecting one. I think it’s really nice as it’s a team award and it’s for all of us, and I think that will be great for the team.
It made us both quite tearful to be recognised as obviously with the pandemic we have been pushed and we haven’t been able to see each other. Morale has been low throughout and this is just the thing we need as a team. We’ll spend our £100 on something as a team and we will decide what we do together.

“I dedicate this to my team”

Kathryn Tolson’s nomination said she has been instrumental in developing the Looked After Children’s service in Oxfordshire over many years.

“Kathryn has passionately driven the health agenda of these vulnerable children. She is devoted to reducing the health inequalities that these children can experience and strives to promote good health outcomes. Kathryn has an exceptional recall of the 800+ children we care for and is never too busy to offer guidance and support to her staff in managing the many complex challenges that they are faced with.”

Kathryn Tolson

Kathryn said:

“I feel slightly embarrassed but truly honoured. Having a nomination from your colleagues means so much, but having it endorses by the Governors and managers is really special. I think we are an incredibly fortunate team because all members are signed up to the fact that we want to do the best and make a difference to the children we work with.

“That goes from our administrators who are arranging appointments for the children to be seen to the doctors who are doing the health assessments. Everybody prides themselves on putting the children first and doing their best.

“It might be an individual award but I see it as a team award. It is very much reflective of the team because they go hand in hand.”

Nominate a special someone or a top team today

Click on the image to find the nomination forms and nominate a top team or someone special today!

Nominations for both awards are welcome from staff, service users, patients, or friends and family of service users and patients. You can nominate any individual or any team as everyone and every team has a crucial role in delivering caring, safe and excellent health care.

The cut-off date for nominations for this moth is Monday, October 25. So nominate someone now! You can find the nomination forms here.

Nominations are accepted at any time so if your submission misses a certain month’s cut-off date, it will be automatically put forward for the following month.