Ambulance service nurses awarded for excellence

Chief Nursing Officer for England, Ruth May presented an award to Advanced Practitioner, Craig Hayden

Ambulance service nursing staff have been commended by Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for England, Ruth May as she visited North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) last week to present two CNO Silver Awards for Excellence in Nursing.

Attending the emergency control centre in Greater Manchester on Tuesday 2 July, Ruth presented the awards to two members of staff who have excelled in their performance, going beyond the expectations of their job, Mental Health Manager, Gill Drummond and Advanced Practitioner, Craig Hayden.

Gill is a mental health nurse with over 34 years’ experience working in a wide range of health care sectors. Relatively new to her role in NWAS, she has undertaken a robust review of the trust’s mental health action plan in line with the NHS Long Term Plan. An excellent leader, Gill has been successful in influencing colleagues to change practice and service delivery to meet patients’ needs.

Advanced Practitioner, Craig works within the trust’s emergency operations centre to offer support and advice to colleagues handling 999 calls and out on the road. He has been commended for his dedication and innovative practice which has meant that he has been able to push the boundaries of nursing within the organisation.

Chief Nurse for NWAS, Angie McKeane, said: “We were really pleased to welcome our CNO to the ambulance service and delighted that two of our members of staff have been given this prestigious recognition.

“When people think of the ambulance service, they immediately think about paramedics but we have so many different roles within the trust including our brilliant nurses who work with us in our NHS 111 service, our emergency operations centre and out on the road. They all do a fantastic job.”

The visit comes in the same week that the trust has announced new nurse ambassador roles which will see existing NHS 111 nurses spending time in the community to inspire future generations of nurses, as well assisting colleagues to develop their roles.

The roles form part of an England-wide campaign which aims to attract more people into the nursing profession.