13 August 2023

The winners of last year’s Shropshire Star Public Recognition Award said it was great to be recognised and encourage the public to nominate health heroes from the county’s acute hospitals as part of the Trust’s annual Celebratory Awards.

Ward 22 Short Stay at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) were crowned the winners in the only category that patients, families and members of the public can nominate and vote for in The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) awards.

You still have chance to nominate for the Shropshire Star Public Recognition Award with the closing date this Friday (16 August).

Ward 22 was nominated for going “over and above” as they cared for a patient at the end of his life. The citation praised the efforts of the “whole team on Ward 22” as they looked after a 90-year-old man, describing them as ‘hospital heroes’.

Ward manager Tom Davies said: “It was a massive morale boost for the team to receive the award. As a ward manager you are really proud of your team anyway, but to get such a high-standing award, particularly for end-of life care, is amazing.

“They turn up every day, they work as hard as they can and if they can make a difference to a family in the final stages of a patient’s life it means so much to them. The team are really happy and I was really proud to receive the award for them.

“It makes it even more important that we were nominated by the general public – it’s the thoughts and feelings of those who are being cared for by us or their loved ones.

“Please nominate anybody you think has gone that extra mile as it will mean so much to them, as it did us.”

The nomination also said: “All of the staff, without exception, committed to dad’s care, from shuffling patients late in their busy day to finding a quieter side room; to ensuring he was made comfortable. He received constant, meticulous care. Their dedication and compassion extended to us as a family, moving chairs in for overnight, leaving snacks, offering tea and meals and even words of kindness. We were on their radar as well as dad.

“He had, in a very short time, found that bond that can only happen if you know someone really cares. This team went over and above. They asked and listened to his wishes and managed to engage with him, right up to the very last moments.”

SaTH teams up with the Shropshire Star to give people across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Mid-Wales the chance to nominate teams or individuals who have made a remarkable contribution and show exceptional compassion and dedication in their role.

The Shropshire Star Public Recognition Award sees nominations made by members of the public, followed by a public vote to choose the winner.

The award gives people a rare opportunity to make sure their hospital heroes receive the recognition they deserve.

To nominate visit www.trustawards.co.uk/shropshirestar and the closing date for nominations is Friday (16 August).

SaTH, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford, will hold its Trust Celebratory Awards on Friday 15 November.