Wellbeing

The Winner of the 2022 Celebration Award for Wellbeing is:

Stephanie Bell, Senior Research Nurse and Team Leader at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

In the words of one of the nominators, Stephanie “is the most incredible leader who has supported us all as a team through the most challenging two years; not only professionally but also on a personal level.”

Stephanie has been instrumental in ensuring wellbeing is not overlooked and is immensely supportive regarding any issues experienced by the team that have had an impact overall wellbeing.

Stephanie is also credited with creating a highly supportive working environment for staff, going above and beyond the call of duty in caring for those she leads. She is caring, compassionate and discreet with all staff enquiries that come her way.

Congratulations Stephanie!

Bigger Picture

We actually have two Winners of the 2022 Celebration Award for Bigger Picture! They are:

Samantha Nunn, Portfolio Research Manager and Facilitator, and Sharon Duneclift, Clinical Lead at Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Samantha Nunn and Sharon Duneclift have designed and led an innovative research champions’ programme for all newly qualified Specialist Community Public Health Nurses.

This has involved stakeholders from Anglia Ruskin University, the NIHR, staff within Cambridgeshire Community Services and other NHS and public health stakeholders, and it has enabled all newly qualified Health Visitors and School Nurses to undertake a research champion role for their locality.

This has resulted in increased engagement and delivery of NIHR Portfolio studies across the Norfolk 0-19 service.

Congratulations Samantha and Sharon!

Research Volunteer

The Winner of the 2022 Celebration Award for Research Volunteer is:

Geoff Fenwick, Research Volunteer at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

Geoff has not only participated in many trials for dementia, but he also helps the team by advising on strategic planning for the delivery of research.

He was instrumental in the team’s successful bid for NIHR funding for the CARECOACH study, which aims to support carer wellbeing and mental health, and he is a co-applicant and PPI member on the study.

His leadership, including chairing the PPI advisory group meetings and facilitating a dementia forum, has meant that the study team have moved research into community and non-NHS settings to meaningfully engage with carers of people with dementia.

Congratulations Geoff!

Breaking Boundaries

The Winner of the 2022 Celebration Award for Breaking Boundaries is:

PANORAMIC Trial Delivery Team, Norwich Area (including Dr Serge Engamba, OneNorwich, and NHS Norfolk and Waveney CCG Primary Care Delivery Team)

This PANORAMIC collaboration has included a huge number of staff, including those from across 21 GP Practices in the Norwich area, the Local Authority and the NIHR, in the outstanding delivery of the PANORAMIC trial, the UK’s fastest ever recruiting interventional trial delivered through primary care.

This group has enabled the complex set-up and delivery of this vital study to extremely tight timescales, with the team working 7 days a week to enable people to take part, including at Xmas and on New Year’s Day. This collaboration has seen a first for a Primary Care Network.

Dr Engamba, the Principal Investigator, and the delivery team, were also heavily involved in promoting the study through local and international media, appearing across the BBC, Al Jazeera English and in the Eastern Daily Press, enabling extremely high participation, both locally and nationwide. Congratulations to Julian Mogford, CRN East of England Participant Research Ambassador; Lynne Mather, Administrator; Clifford Cox, RSI Contracts Manager, and Research Nurses, Rachel Stebbings, Pippa Lincoln, Kirsti Withington, Julia Fromings Hill, Rachel Hollis, Adam Peel and Kate McCloskey.

Congratulations All!

Putting Patients First

The Winner of the 2022 Celebration Award for Putting Patients First is:

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust Research Team

NSFT Research developed and implemented REACH, a centralised research referral system for research volunteers which, along with enabling the team to support registrants, also engaged them in COVID-related research. This contributed to NSFT being one of the highest recruiting trusts nationally on the COVID-19 Psychological Impact Study during the first lockdown. This engagement has continued.

In response to CRN PRES feedback which stated that participants were not sure where to find the results of their research study, the team also developed a Research Completion Pack which is given to all people upon finishing their participation in a study. The Completion pack includes information including post-study contacts, newsletters and support.

The team has also co-developed Welcome Packs which are given to all people referred to them, providing information about the team’s research, frequently asked questions and support.

Finally, the team has also worked with a group of children and adolescents to develop Children’s Research Activity Booklets which are sent out to all younger participants before the first appointment to help them prepare.

Congratulations All!

Unsung Hero

The Winner of the 2022 Celebration Award for Unsung Hero is:

Rowena Weighell, Trial Coordinator at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Rowena is described as a communicator, coordinator, source of advice, mentor for others and an indispensable member of the team. She proactively communicates with patients, interprets documents in depth and, according to her nominator “works over and above her work responsibilities 120% of the time.

Rowena has guided the nursing and clinical teams towards a more adaptive approach to delivering clinical research, and at the faster pace demanded by the ongoing pandemic. She has also shown leadership whilst always accommodating the team’s capabilities, and has provided a fountain of knowledge on Good Research practice, ensuring the safety of trial delivery.

Rowena was unfortunately unable to join us in person at the ceremony but colleague, Joanne La Verne Sanchez, kindly collected Rowena's award on her behalf.

Congratulations Rowena!

Inspiration

In an unprecedented result for the Celebration Awards, our Judging Panel has equally voted all three finalists as Winners of the 2022 Celebration Award for Inspiration:

Helen Jung, Lead Primary Care Manager for CRN East of England

Helen has been, in the words of the nominator, “an absolute backbone to the Primary Care response for COVID-19 research” over the pandemic. This includes going the extra mile in forging new collaborations and ways of working, for example, in facilitating the collaborations between several NHS Trusts and GP Practices.

Helen's calm, considered, can-do nature instils confidence that set up is achievable, that issues will be followed through, and solutions can be found.

Vassilios Vassiliou, Consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals

Vass Vassiliou, or Vass as he is known, has been instrumental in supporting the NIHR’s Academic Clinical and Research Fellows in Integrated Academic Training, enabling them to continue with their own research despite COVID-19.

Vass negotiated a fine balance to ensure Fellows were given time to deliver their research after the lockdowns, whilst ensuring clinical training was safe-guarded.

In addition, his own research on the impact of COVID-19 on cardiology patients has been instrumental in reassuring related patients not to stop their medication.

Vikas Khanduja, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Cambridge University Hospitals

Although a busy Orthopaedic surgeon, Vikas also inspires others to take on research projects which have a direct impact on service delivery and patient care. He has also developed the Young Adult Hip Service in Cambridge into a high-ranking research unit.

He not only inspires orthopaedic surgeons, but also many medical students and allied health professionals to actively engage in research to improve patient care, giving each individual time to develop their skills and mentoring them in the progress of their research journey.

Vikas was unfortunately unable to join us in person at the ceremony but Jeremy Turner kindly collected Jo's award on his behalf.

Congratulations Helen, Vass and Vikas!