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Prestigious award recognises Sandra’s commitment to care

A member of the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) integrated clinical education team has received a prestigious national award for her dedication and commitment to the quality of care the Trust provides.

Sandra Austin, care certificate co-ordinator, was presented with a Chief Nursing Officer for England’s (CNO) award on Thursday, 19 October 2023, in recognition of her work with health care support workers (HCSWs).

This is a new category in the CNO awards, recognising HCSWs. Diane Last, head of clinical education, said: “We were proud to nominate Sandra, and thrilled that she has been recognised for going above and beyond for our staff.”

The award was presented during Health Care Support Workers’ Week, a national event to shine a light on a cohort of NHS clinical staff who work in more than 30 roles, including nursing assistants, reablement support workers and therapy assistants. At WSFT, they are supported by Sandra and the clinical education team to complete the Care Certificate, a national qualification involving the completion of 15 standards to support high quality, compassionate care.

Louisa White, HCSW lead for NHS East of England – who earlier in her career worked at WSFT and is a registered midwife – presented a certificate and badge to Sandra on behalf of Catherine Morgan, chief nurse for NHS East of England.

She said: “I am very honoured to present this to Sandra for her exceptional dedication to supporting health care support workers and reducing attrition rates, especially during the week where we highlight the value of HCSWs.”

Executive chief nurse at WSFT, Sue Wilkinson, offered “huge congratulations” to Sandra, and read out the citation detailing her achievements and importance to the team and the Trust. She said: “This is a massive accolade for the hard work you have given us, and recognises the massive difference you have made to the organisation. Don’t underestimate the impact you have had.”

Sandra has worked in the NHS for 16 years, and with the clinical education team since 2016, co-ordinating and facilitating the Care Certificate programme. She has guided and supported 700 HCSWs from their arrival at the Trust, ensuring they felt valued, and reducing the attrition rate from 24% to 10%.

Also cited was Sandra’s commitment to educating volunteers to assist inpatients at mealtimes, recognising the importance of good nutrition and helping volunteers to feel confident and supported. Her compassion, respect for patients and staff, and the importance of staff wellbeing and its impact on patient care were also highlighted.

The nomination concluded: “We believe Sandra embodies all the NHS values and is a shining example of someone who supports others daily despite challenges along the way.”

Sandra said: “I am very privileged to receive this on behalf of the team, and I’d like to thank them for putting me forward. I have seen so many people come in and progress in their careers with us. It’s been a delight and privilege to work with them. It can be intense at times, but it’s so rewarding to support people to recognise their own potential.

“The nursing assistant (NAs) role is my passion, and the Care Certificate is a first step towards nursing for many people. The standards allows us to give training, recognition and support to people aiming to become NAs or take up another HCSW role. It is for anyone who will be in a patient-facing role,” she explained.

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