Ward sister awarded for helping hospital step up to help with winter pressures
A ward sister at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital has been named RJAH Star winner for January for supporting the NHS through the pressures of winter.
Gemma Sweetman, a Nurse on Sheldon Ward, the general medicine and rehabilitation ward at the Oswestry-based hospital, ensured the hospital near Oswestry delivered on its winter pressures commitment to the wider system.
With the festive period a difficult one for urgent and emergency care services across Shropshire and Telford, and Wrekin the hospital created extra capacity for flow across the system.
Gemma's efforts were recognised by Paul Kavanagh-Fields, Chief Nurse and Patient Safety Officer, and Nicki Bellinger, Assistant Chief Nurse, who nominated her to be an RJAH Star.
Paul said: “We are so proud of the amazing leadership demonstrated by Gemma and her Team to ensure the best outcomes for every single patient across Sheldon and Kenyon Wards over the festive period.
“During Gemma’s work with the Intergrated Discharge Team Hub, her tenacity and energy were infectious, she really went the extra, extra, extra mile and worked over and above what was expected of her to ensure that RJAH delivered on its winter pressures commitment to the wider system and to ensure that we were open for business-as-usual. Everyone is talking about how amazing she has been.”
Nicki added: “When RJAH opened its sub-acute medical ward to provide mutual aid to the system Gemma volunteered to oversee the ward. She worked with enthusiasm and dedication to assess, plan and evaluate the care delivered to her patients.
“She worked collaboratively with system partners to ensure that patients were discharged to an appropriate place of care with the right care packages in a time of extreme pressure. She facilitated the safe discharge of all the patients within the agreed timeframe to enable the ward to return back to an elective orthopaedic ward to the benefit of our patients.
“Gemma has demonstrated exemplar leadership and resilience though out this time.”
The monthly award is presented to unsung heroes from across the hospital who are nominated by their colleagues for going the extra mile.
Gemma said: “The Trust is in a privileged position during the festive period to help our system partners during a time where there is no planned elective surgery.
“The standard of care delivered across both Sheldon and Kenyon wards were to the highest of standards and we're also very proud of how Sheldon and Kenyon staff rose to
the challenge of opening a second sub-acute ward in such a short time frame.”
She was presented her award, consisting of a keepsake certificate, a voucher, and box of chocolates donated by the League of Friends, by Stacey Keegan, Interim
Chief Executive who said: "Gemma put her all into coordinating the sub-acute medical ward and she has done an exceptional job supporting our system partners and is a very worthy winner of the monthly RJAH Stars award.”
