The dedication and compassion of nursing staff at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust was celebrated at an awards ceremony on International Nurses Day (Thursday 12 May).

International Nurses Day takes place every year, on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, and marks the contribution that nurses make to so many people’s lives.

Over 70 nurses, nursing staff and support staff working across the Trust were presented with Compassion Awards for demonstrating exceptional work ethic and consideration towards those they care for. Six extraordinary stories of compassion shown by Trust staff were showcased at the awards, including moving accounts from patients and families thanking staff who have looked after them from birth through to end-of-life.  

Compassion Award winners include Fred Bryant, a porter who showed great compassion and support for a ward manager and family involved in a mortuary viewing, Chris Jordan, a healthcare assistant who made Mothers Day special for one family and an AMU Short Stay nursing team who went over and above to help their colleague whose son died on their ward.

Julie Tunney, Deputy Chief Nurse, said: “Compassion is one of the hardest things to measure in healthcare but we all know when we have encountered it. So many of our staff go over and above their daily roles to provide compassionate care to patients that come into hospital and putting them at the heart of everything we do. At Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, we are very proud to be able to recognise and reward compassion.”