Nursing staff from across NHS Forth Valley were recognised for their incredible care, leadership, support and innovation at the inaugural RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards – scooping two overall winners and five runners up awards.
NHS Forth Valley Community Learning Disability Nurse and Senior Charge Nurse, Laura McCann, who works with the Falkirk Learning Disability Team, won the Learning Disability Nursing Award at the event which took place at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Described by her team, in the nicest possible way, as infectious, Laura has helped drive forward work to support people with a learning disability to develop healthy relationships. This includes the development of an eight-week programme on cyber safety and work to improve support for individuals who have experienced gender-based violence along with guidance for health and care professionals.
Janet Wilson, NHS Forth Valley Nursing Assistant, who works at Lochview in Larbert, won the Nursing Support Worker of the Year Award and Alison O’Neill, a Support Worker and Nursing Assistant with the Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health (iCAMHS) team at Stirling Community Hospital, received the runner up award.
Colleagues describe Janet Wilson as a dedicated and professional nursing support worker who has worked in Learning Disability Services for more than 20 years and has always strived to ensure individuals with learning disabilities are recognised as people and not for their medical or physical conditions. She has played an important part in developing a bespoke approach to care for an individual with autism who finds it very challenging to engage with others.
Linda McAuslan, NHS Forth Valley Lead Nurse for Psychological Therapies and Manager of the Adult Psychological Therapies Service, was the runner up in the Clinical Leadership Award Category. Hazel Somerville and Jennie Young received the runner up award in the Inspiring Excellence – Nursing Innovation and Research Category for the development of a trauma-informed cervical screening programme across NHS Forth Valley.
Unit 5 at Falkirk Community Hospital was the runner up in the Nursing Team of the Year Award for their efforts to support and increase the range of activities available for patients with dementia and prolonged delirium.
