York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Staff from York's SCBU with their Star Award.

Robert Crook receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Michaela Edens receiving a Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Mr Effendi receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt.

A collage of Wendy and Allison receiving their Star Awards from Simon Morritt. Will Thornton is also in the images.

Rich Atkinson receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Leila Fahel receiving her Star Award from Andrew Bertram.

Alex Trousdale receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Adrian Gray and Craig Wilson receiving their Star Award from Andrew Bertram.

Claire Mckee and her Team receiving their Star Award from Andrew Bertram.

Yassin Ahmed receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt

Samantha Reddy receiving her Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Karsten receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Heidi receiving her Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Emily receiving her Star Award from Simon Morritt.

The Palliative Care and Bereavement Team receiving their Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Ashley receiving his Star Award from Simon Morritt.

Star Award - Website - Paul Hodgson and Chris Allen

Special Care Baby Unit

York Hospital

"My daughter was born prematurely at 31 weeks through an emergency c-section on October 12. She had to be transferred to another hospital for the first week of her life, which was an incredibly traumatic experience. However, when my baby girl returned to York after seven days, the care she received from every single member of the team surpassed all expectations, regardless of how busy the unit was.

"The entire team deserves immense acknowledgment and recognition for the unwavering dedication they demonstrate every day, despite the challenges they face. They work with the hospital's newest and most vulnerable patients, who can be extremely ill and delicate, while also providing support to anxious parents as they navigate their journey through the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), no matter how long it may be.

"The staff made sure I felt deeply involved in every aspect of my daughter's care, and they never hesitated to go the extra mile. Sadly, I had experienced the loss of a newborn in the neonatal unit at York in 2011, so being back in the SCBU brought up a lot of emotions and fears. However, once again, everyone was incredibly supportive and comforting. The staff made me feel reassured during a time when I was at my most vulnerable, and they made me feel like a part of the SCBU family.

"The post-SCBU care provided by Kirsty in the Neonatal Outreach Team has also been extraordinary. The York SCBU is an exceptional team that genuinely cares about their patients and is passionate about their work. I will forever be grateful to each and every one of them. Thank you."

Robert Crook

Staff in the emergency department were caring for a patient without a permanent home or mobile phone to reach him on. The plan was for him to leave the hospital with outpatient follow-up, but that wasn't possible due to his situation. The nurse didn't know what to do and suggested calling Dr Crook, who came to the emergency department (ED) and assessed the patient.

Dr Crook then arranged for the patient to be transferred to the SDEC (Specialist Diagnostic and Evaluation Clinic) to continue the treatment plan, avoiding the need for an outpatient appointment.

Dr Crook handled everything in a positive and friendly way, gladly accepting the nurse's referral. He has always been proactive in reaching out to the ED, and his upcoming retirement will be a loss because of the compassionate approach he consistently demonstrates.

Michaela Edens

"Michaela has really shone for us in Community Therapy over the last few months; she currently works with us as a Therapy Assistant within our York South Team, however, through to a combination of staffing changes, absence and winter pressures, she has truly stepped up.

"She initially began providing support to our Palliative Therapy Team, meaning a rapid uptake of new skills and working with patients going through a difficult and sensitive time, which has been hugely appreciated by staff and patients alike.

"Through winter she has continued with both her usual role, her Palliative Therapy support, and also worked flexibly to support CRT as they have faced immense demand. This again is a change in skillset for Michaela and has meant working outside of her comfort zone.

"In addition(!), CTT in South Hambleton & Ryedale have faced periods of long staff absence in 2023, and despite her plate being already extremely full, she was very quick to offer support to ensure that our vulnerable patients in this vast rural area received quality and timely interventions. Michaela has therefore worked across the full length and breadth of our services, both geographically and in terms of her skillset.

"Her willingness to help, to be flexible, to adapt and challenge herself is a fantastic example of Trust Values, and her efforts are so greatly appreciated by our multiple Community Services. I am therefore nominating her on behalf of myself, and her own Team Manager. Thank you Michaela!"

Muhammad Effendi

"I have worked with Mr. Effendi for a while now and can easily conclude that he is much loved and respected by all his colleagues and his patients.

"When new colleagues join the General Surgery team in Scarborough, they are always advised by other team members to speak with Mr. Effendi for guidance for a smooth start. One could easily sense the comfort patients feel when they are under his care. I have witnessed his interaction with patients many times. His calm personality, organised way of explaining his plan to the patient, confident tone and obvious sympathy are few of the many traits that make him excel as an outstanding surgeon.

"The reassurance nurses feel when he is present is also noticeable. Whether I am in outpatient clinics, in Maple ward or in theatres, nursing staff always speak about his professionalism and considerate character. One can also easily notice that consultant surgeons depend on him from the quality of the tasks they allocate to him.

"Yesterday was an impressive example of the excellent work ethics of Mr. Effendi and it is the reason I decided to finally nominate him for the Star Award. He started his on-call at 8 am and by midnight, 16 hours later, he was still proactively on top of his duties everywhere in the hospital; reviewing his patients in A&E and Maple Ward, operating in theatres, asking junior doctors regularly if they need help, and finally spending a good amount of time reviewing an elderly patient who was already reviewed by another team member, just to ensure that her questions are all addressed and her care plan is complete.

"This is the quality of surgeons we all wish to work with. Mr Effendi is a great asset to our Trust."

Wendy Thickett and Allison Henderson

Allison and Wendy worked together to lead a huge piece of work - rebuilding Learning Hub, our Trust's key learning platform for staff, after problems that resulted in the loss of data from the system.

The system had to be rebuilt from scratch, using data from many different sources.

It took exceptional patience, attention to detail, and liaison with the system provider to get to the point where the system was suitable for re-launch, just five weeks after going offline.

The quick result was a result of Allison and Wendy's skill and dedication, and everyone is very appreciative of the time and effort put into such a stressful task.

Rich Atkinson

Porter, Scarborough Hospital

In his 22 years of service, he’s become quite well-known at Scarborough Hospital. This isn’t just because of the time he’s been around, but because of how much he brightens everyone’s day. He brings a smile to what can be a very difficult job, and is always happy to help with whatever needs doing. Every patient being looked after by Rich gets the VIP treatment.

For one of his colleagues, one event in particular stood out.

“On walking to his shift at Scarborough Hospital, Rich assisted a fast response ambulance driver caring for a young post-seizure patient who was confused, aggressive, and agitated.

“Rich helped the ambulance crew make sure the patient was safe and on their way to hospital for they treatment they needed. After they had been admitted, Rich went to the emergency department to check in on their progress and talk them through what happened.

“This meant a lot to me, as the patient in question was my brother. Rich exemplifies the Trust values both in and out of work and deserves to be recognised for his actions. I would like to thank him for the compassion and care he showed at a time when my brother was very vulnerable.”

Leila Fahel

Consultant

Dr Fahel is praised for the exceptional care shown towards a patient, who is type 1 diabetic, during a difficult pregnancy.

Towards the end of the pregnancy, as she had seen the patient at least every two weeks, Dr Fahel was quick to notice the difference and deterioration of her patient and acted quickly to ensure the baby was born safely. She later visited the patient on the delivery ward to offer support as the patient was struggling to come to terms with the birth trauma she had experienced.

In the words of the patient, who nominated her: ‘Miss Fahel is one of a kind, dedicated and is very deserving.'

Alex Trousdale

A patient accidentally came to Scarborough Hospital intead of their appointment at Springhill House, Scarborough for an urgent hearing aid review. The appointment had been arranged urgently as the patient's father had passed away and the funeral was the next day, and they were struggling to hear with their current aids.

Due to a number of circumstances making it impossible for the patient to get to Springhill House for their appointment time, Scarborough's Head of Audiology contacted Alex.

Alex helped the patient at Scarborough Hospital and was able to review their hearing aids, so the patient was able to hear at their father's funeral the next day.

Adrian Gray and Craig Wilson

An extremely vulnerable patient came to the main desk and said they were going to seriously harm them self. Adrian spoke to the patient, assisted them to the emergency department, and gave them additional crisis mental health information.

He stayed with the patient for some time, past the end of his shift, ensuring the patient was in the right place for the care they needed. Others on shift were not confident in how to help the patient, but Adrian took control and the patient was grateful.

Following on from this, Adrian asked Craig to keep an eye on the patient. Craig did this, communicating with the patient in a way that made them feel at ease and valued. Craig has since seen the patient, who has turned their life around and aiming for a degree in music

Claire Mckee

Claire joined a team with low morale, where the workload was large and the team were members were feeling disjointed. In the words of one of the team members, Claire joined and "the team immediately began to blend."

"Our worries about workload and lack of confidence were heard, and Claire implemented weekly catch-ups. She gave us individual mentoring on things she felt we were lacking."

Claire learned the team's systems quickly and streamlined policies. Within weeks, the team were making good progress on their backlogs. When a team member left, Claire took on their workload on top of her own, while still supporting the team.

"We can go to Claire with anything. She is a fantastic friend and compassionate boss who we all admire and respect. Her job is far from easy and comes with a lot of stress, but she never lets that get in the way of supporting the team. She is the glue that holds us together and she really deserves this recognition."

Yassin Ahmed

Yassin recently went above and beyond for a patient in labour who couldn't speak any English.

The patient was struggling to communicate with the team on call and Yassin stayed well beyond his working hours to provide translation between the patient and team members.

Yassin's actions put the patient at ease and enabled the team to deliver the care needed, safely and efficiently. This is just one of many occasions that Yassin has gone above and beyond to positively contribute to the department, and he deserves to be recognised.

Well done, Yassin.

Samantha Reddy

Phlebotomist

Samantha, a Phlebotomist, supported a patient with learning disabilities who struggled with having her blood taken.

On the day of the patient's appointment, Samantha made herself available for as long as the appointment would take.

The patient arrived with mum and was visibly upset and worried she'd be hurt. Samantha was extremely calm, and helped the patient relax by chatting about her outfit. The patient wanted to sit on the floor, too, so Samantha sat with her.

The patient was very worried about the needles, so Samantha and a colleague showed her all the equipment and explained everything that would happen.

Samantha put the paper torniquet around the patient's arm, but after 45 minutes, they were still struggling because of how upset the patient was. It was clear the patient didn't want to have her bloods done, but her mum said this was the furthest they had ever got.

The colleague who nominated Samantha said, "I couldn't have supported my patient as well without Samantha. Staff like her really help us make reasonable adjustment to accommodate the needs of those patients with a learning disability. Thank you."

Karsten Weston

A patient with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was feeling very anxious and non-trusting about being transferred to another ward. The transfer team were struggling as it was the first time the patient had met them, so the security team were called to help.

When Karsten and a colleague came to assist, the patient recognised Karsten and his agitation visibly reduced. Karsten explained to the patient how he would be safely moved to a different ward, and that he would stay with him throughout the move.

The patient began to trust Karsten and the colleague and, while it was still very distressing for the patient, Karsten's compassion and understand provided reassurance while the patient settled into his new room.

A colleague said "it was gratifying to see someone bring so much care into an extremely challenging situation."

Heidi Fry

On an extremely busy day in the emergency department, the already stretched team were faced with a full RESUS in the space of approximately 30 minutes. Heidi had not long been on shift and her help was needed in many places, including support for junior doctors, taking information from pre-alert phone calls, and deciding which patients to place where.

Heidi was spread very thin, but a colleague has described her actions as “one of the finest demonstrations of senior nurse leadership. She kept the ED safe, instilled confidence in others, and stabilised a rapidly escalating situation.”

Throughout the busyness, Heidi kept her cool. She listened to the issues coming from all directions, liaised with people in order of priority, and made all the right decisions based on the information she had. Above all, Heidi remained positive, friendly, approachable, and kind.

All our ED team members work brilliantly but, on this occasion, Heidi went truly above and beyond. She demonstrated the Trust values with such professionalism that simply couldn’t go unnoticed

Emily Parkinson

Emily demonstrated fantastic leadership skills when unplanned circumstances saw her leading the Trust's winter vaccination campaign.

Throughout the campaign, Emily's communication with vaccinators, staff, and Trust stakeholders was excellent. She had a clear vision of what she wanted to deliver and achieved this through her significant interpersonal skills.

If Emily was ever unsure of anything, she sought advice and was aware of areas where she required help. She went outside her comfort zone, took on unfamiliar roles, and presented at a high-level committee.

Emily was pivotal in this year's campaign, and achieved with a positive, can-do attitude.

Bereavement Office and Palliative Care Team

A young gentleman was in the last days of his life on ward 33 and was too unwell to leave hospital. He and his wife had two German Shepherd dogs that they called 'their children.' The palliative care team arranged for the dogs to be brought into the hospital to the bereavement suite where the patient, on his bed with oxygen therapy was waiting for them. This would be the last time he had contact with his two dogs.

The bereavement team could not have been more supportive in making the patient's last wishes come true. It was a true example of collaborative working between teams and keeping the patient at the centre of everything we do.

Ashley Webster

Scarborough Hospital

Porters are known for doing an incredible job and none more than Ashley Webster who is recognised for his genuine care and compassion.

His kindness, consideration and dedication to patients and his natural ability to put their needs and feelings first is described as ‘an inspiration’. Even on a busiest day Ashley appears calm, professional and always ready with a smile for patients and staff. His communication skills with colleagues are second to none - when he is bleeped to help out he immediately rings back and if busy he will let people know he will be few minutes late.

Ashley treats patients with compassion, when he is moving patients to either a new ward or for X-ray the first thing he does is to introduce himself to the patient. He takes the time to chat to the patients as though he is talking to a family member.

Kerry Thirlwell

Community Midwife, New Selby War Memorial Hospital

Kerry was the community midwife for a family whose son died during labour at 41 weeks.

After hearing the news Kerry visited them at home and brought the medication Ellie required and wasn’t given when discharged. Kerry came round to visit most weeks and was at the end of the phone when they needed advice or just somebody to talk to. She also took time out of her busy schedule to go and meet their baby boy Reuben and go to his funeral.

The family can’t thank her enough - ‘she’s been an absolute star and deserves the recognition’.

Paul Hodgson and Chris Allen

HPV Operatives, Facilities Department, Scarborough Hospital

The HPV team are praised for always going over and above, however in a period of extreme operational pressure their hard work made a vital difference.

There were a high number of Cdiff patients which increased the HPV requirement considerably and Paul and Chris worked through the night over and above their hours in order to get 14 beds back in operation on Oak Ward. This helped relieve the pressure on the Emergency Department and resulted in the site de-escalating to OPEL 3 for the first time in many, many weeks.

The next night Paul and Chris again stayed until the early hours and completed their work which meant six patients had beds who wouldn't have done otherwise. ‘Their engagement and proactive approach to HPV is simply amazing and nothing is ever too much trouble - they are really making a difference to our patients’.

Tanya Barber

Housekeeper, Scarborough Hospital

Tanya pulled out all the stops for a dying patient and their family during the treacherous weather when the family had to travel all the way from Driffield to visit their relative.

It was snowing and the family were unable to get back to Driffield and were planning to sleep on the floor of the hospital. When Tanya heard this she rang around the hospital and managed to obtain the hospital flat for the patient’s family to stay in which meant they were close by if the worst happened. The next morning the family were able to visit the patient and unfortunately, he had passed away.

It meant so much to the family to be close in this awful time. Tanya is known for never saying no to a challenge, job or request and really went above and beyond her job role on this occasion.

Willow Eye Ward

This team has been nominated by a patient for providing "incredible" care.

"The care I have received, from initial referral to post-op outpatients, was absolutely incredible.

"My cataracts are congenital, and unusual in their presentation, which means I had a high risk of complications if I had the surgery - it's usually 1 in 100, mine was 1 in 2 or 3. As my sight was rapidly deteriorating and I could soon lose my driving licence, it was agreed I had little choice.

"Every single person I have seen/spoken to along this 'journey' has been amazing. The outpatients team at Malton explained every step clearly and put me at ease during some of difficult initial scans.

"Toni from the waiting list team contacted me when a cancellation appointment became available and always ensured I had the correct information.

"The team on Willow Ward completely understood how terrified I was and did everything they could to allay my fears.

"I'm a nurse, so it was odd being the patient and even more odd being awake during surgery. The theatre team were professional but still looked after me and addressed my fears. They ensured my hearing aids were well looked after and that I could always hear instructions/answers to questions, even when my aids needed to be removed during the surgery.

"A special mention goes to the two nurses. The theatre nurse literally held my hand through the procedure - I would've found it very difficult without her.

"I'd also like to thank Mr Van der Hoek for saving my sight. I am very fortunate my surgery was successful and my vision was significantly improved before I even left theatre.

"It is hard to be a patient when you are a nurse. I was absolutely terrified but I couldn't have asked for better care, understanding, or treatment. The whole team are stars."

Vicki Clancey

Diabetes Specialist Nurse, York Hospital

Vicki was nominated for her continuous support of a patient diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and his family.

“My lovely dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April last year. It was the worst thing that has ever happened to our family.

“The involvement from all teams was amazing, including the consultant, the specialist nurses, and the community diabetic team. We were very fortunate that he did not suffer for long.

“During Dad’s illness and the palliative weeks, Vicki would frequently call him to check on his diabetic control. He would talk – a lot. He would ask if he was keeping her from other things and she always said no and that she’d like to listen. He told her about the motorbike he bought, how he felt when he found out he was dying, life in general. Vicki always listened – always.

“Vicki wasn’t just there for my dad, though. She also chatted to my mum, who was struggling so much when Dad was first diagnosed. She felt shock, sadness, and fear knowing Dad that he was dying. Mum needed that outlet and Vicky was always there.

“Even towards the end of Dad’s life, the calls continued, and he still chatted to Vicki, enjoying sharing memories and stories. He was a talker! Vicki called Mum after we lost Dad, just to say she was thinking of us and what a lovely man he was.

“I’m not sure Vicki knew at the time how much her calls meant to Dad. When we are all so busy, she was consistent and kind. In those last few weeks of Dad’s life, Vicki made a difference and we will always, always be grateful for that. Just thank you.”

Mark Fearnley

Research Nurse, York Hospital

Mark is a research nurse at our Trust and was nominated by a patient who he helped through the STAR-TREC trial.

“I cannot express enough gratitude for the professional, friendly and caring service I experienced from Mark.

“I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the end of October and subsequently joined the STAR-TREC trial. Mark was standing in for the research nurse for my speciality, as well as managing his own caseload. Despite his busy schedule, Mark lead me through the complex test and diagnosis procedures, as well as beginning treatment in Leeds.

“I was then also diagnosed with a bladder tumour, which lead to further complications and delay in my treatment. Mark helped me overcome these complications, facilitating timely appointments and generally having my back. It is my understanding that the problems that came up had not happened in the service before and so would have been especially challenging.

“The issues needed the coordination of specialist services and their consultants, which Mark managed in a professional and effective way, especially as he was working in a field less familiar than his usual area. I felt truly supported and that my voice was heard and respected. I could trust that Mark would sort things out for me as well as keep me informed.

“In my opinion, Mark demonstrated the Trust values. He was dedicated and persistent in finding answers to the problems we faced, working extra time and sometimes on his days off to sort things out. Due to Mark’s diligence and friendly support, I always felt very respected and that my case and problems were acknowledged. I was always confident that Mark was working with my best interest at heart to provide the best solutions possible during this most stressful episode of my life. He is most definitely worthy of receiving the star award, he is a true star.”

York Hospital maternity team

This team was nominated by a patient who gave birth in 2021 and wanted to share appreciation for the care she was given.

“I was a high-risk pregnancy and, from 33 weeks pregnant, I had weekly admissions for suspected pre-eclampsia. The care I received was above and beyond what I would have ever expected.

“I had three appointments a week on the day unit to monitor me. Most appointments required an admission, but I was never made to feel a nuisance for being a regular attendee on the ward. A bed was always found, even when diversions were being made.

“The midwives were always so busy and short-staffed, but I didn’t feel like this affected my care. I always felt safe and well looked after; any concerns I had were acknowledged and acted on.

“I am forever grateful to Angie (midwife) and Miss Merrick (consultant). Angie looked after me a lot and was always quick to act. When I felt something was wrong with my daughter, Miss Merrick quickly appeared, and I was taken to the labour ward. I had an emergency C-section later that day. When both staff members returned for their night shifts, Miss Merrick and Angie came to see me, which really meant a lot and showed how much they cared.

“The following day, I developed very high blood pressure and was taken to the labour ward for 1:1 care and treatment. I was relieved to see Miss Merrick as the consultant and I felt I was in safe hands - she was so caring and went above and beyond, calming my daughter down when she was unsettled as I was unable to. I remember her saying my daughter will love ‘In the Night Garden’… Miss Merrick was right, she is now obsessed!

“All the midwives were fantastic. Even with wards merging due to low staff numbers, they never passed their stress on to patients. They were amazing, and so caring, and I feel they need recognition as I’m sure they are continuing to provide outstanding care. I am always praising the York maternity team and I will continue to do so. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to have a second pregnancy and be cared for at York. Thank you.”

Star Award finalists 2023

All our staff and volunteers deserve recognition - but there are many that go above and beyond the call of duty to make the Trust a better service - with hard work, exciting new ideas and simply by putting patients first.