Published on: 10 April 2025
A celebration night has recognised NHS workers who care, lead and inspire as those they work alongside hailed them for their amazing dedication.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust has hosted its third Staff Recognition Awards.
The event is held to celebrate the outstanding efforts of its workforce and those who go above and beyond and help it achieve its vision, ‘Excellence in all that we do’. It sees staff put forward their colleagues, as they highlight the work of their peers.
More than 400 nominations were submitted this year across 16 categories.
These included those who work in its community services, hospitals and support teams. It also singled out those who are champions in their own right, from work in research or innovation, sustainability and equality.
They shone a light on unsung heroes and those who have shown care and compassion and those who have spent their careers helping others through a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Trust’s Governors and its Chief Executive Ken Bremner MBE also chose winners of their own awards.
The Governors selected Christian Allan Bajande, Advanced Podiatry Assistant for their award. In his citation, they championed him for his love for his job, being humble when praised and hard work to extend his skills and knowledge. They added: “The nomination showed examples of excellent patient care and it was clear to see that they are well-respected by colleagues and very worthy of recognition.”
The Chief Executive’s Award was given to Zoe Clapham, Clinical and Operational Lead for Endoscopy, who leads teams based at South Tyneside and Sunderland Royal Hospital. Ken highlighted Zoe’s leadership, which has resulted the sites being hailed as being exemplar in their field. This was following an inspection by the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on GI Endoscopy the Royal College of Physicians. Inspectors said: “The service operates to an exceptional standard and easily some of the highest standards we have seen in the UK.”
Ken said:
“Each year, our Staff Recognition Awards get bigger and better, with even more nominations, categories and, most importantly, more shortlisted staff than before.
“On behalf of our Governors, Board and Executive Team, I would like to thank everyone who played a part in making the evening possible.
“We saw so many examples of excellence, care, compassion and dedication throughout all of the nominations.
“We know this is just a snapshot of the amazing work that takes place across all areas of the Trust each and every day.
“These awards give us a platform to recognise and reward those who are consistently making a difference and living the values we promote as a Trust.”
The celebration was hosted at the Beacon of Light.
The event was made possible thanks to a series of sponsors, including headline sponsor, STS Charity the Trust’s own dedicated charity.
Others to offer their support include the Serve and Protect Credit Union; Trustmarque technology company; DAC Beachcroft law firm; NHS Professionals; Spark TSL; Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
It was also backed by Choice, the Trust’s wholly owned subsidiary, which provides it with estates and facilities services.
For more information about the STSFT Annual Staff Awards, including winner profiles and event highlights, please visit https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/
Customer Service Award
Winner: Brooke Johnson, Discharge Liaison Officer.
Shortlisted: Jeanette Clark, Ward Clerk; Karen Thornton, Admin Assistant; Susan Paul, Medical Secretary.
Care and Compassion Award
Winner: Patricia Jenkins, Clerical Officer, Sunderland Eye Infirmary.
Shortlisted: Dawn Townsley, Specialist Palliative Care Nurse; Reynaldo Hernandez, Staff Nurse; Shelley Campbell, Healthcare Assistant and Cancer Nurse Specialists within Urology.
Championing Equality Award
Winner: Mayflor Bernal, Matron for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals and International Recruitment.
Shortlisted: Lee Whitfield, Associate Divisional Director; Remi Omole, Lead Chaplain and Simmone Dixon, Junior Sister.
Outstanding Contribution Award
Winner: Helen Turnbull, Divisional Director, Theatres and Critical Care
Shortlisted: Assessment of Breathing Clinic Team; Bev Frankland, Inquest and Legal Liaison Manager; Cheryl Bean, CT Advanced Practitioner; Mark Tull, Clinical Team Manager, Talking Therapies and Uma Nath, Consultant Neurologist.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Winners: David Steel, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreo Retinal Surgeon and Melanie Milburn, Head of Nursing, Community.
Shortlisted: Alison Napper, Frailty Nurse Practitioner; Mary Pollard, Education and Training Manager; Pauline Bown, Ward Manager; Shahid Junejo, Consultant Cardiologist and Shlok Balupuri, Consultant Surgeon.
Leadership Award
Winner: Lynzee McShea, Head of Audiology.
Shortlisted: Carina Dowson, Consultant and Clinical Director, Acute Medicine; Emma Gray, Lead Matron; Miles Weston, MRI Lead Radiographer, and Zoe Clapham, Clinical and Operational Lead for Endoscopy.
Rising Star Award
Winner: Daniel Donkin, Assistant Domestic and Linen Manager for Choice.
Shortlisted: Eden Benson, Apprentice Training Administrator; Oluwatoyin Omisore, Staff Nurse; Rachel Boyd, Clinical Educator; and Rajee George, Staff Nurse.
Sustainability Award
Winner: Mark Williams, Consultant, Head and Neck.
Shortlisted: Ian Hewitson, Contracts and Procurement Manage for Choice; Paula Oakes and Joanne Donkin, Recycling of Ward Aids Team; Sexual Health Teams; and the Virtual Ward Team.
Research Award
Winner: Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research Team.
Shortlisted: Kimberley Novis, Clinical Scientist, Audiology, and the Sunderland Eye Infirmary Research Team.
Innovation
Winner: Assessment of Breathing Clinic Team
Shortisted: Practice Placement Facilitators and Sexual Health Teams.
Unsung hero – community
Winner: Dan Dobson, Community Specialist Health Improvement Practitioner
Shortlisted: Alison Vagoni, Team Secretary; Holly Gunn, Clinical Team Manager; Paul Windle, Domestic for Choice and Sonya Bruce, Clinical Team Manager.
Unsung hero – corporate
Winner: Jim Charlton, Fire Safety and Security Manager
Shortlisted: Chris Brightman, Facilities Assistant for Choice; Colleen McNicholas, HR Advisor; Danielle Sadler, Assistant Rostering Manager; Joanne Canning, Matron – Quality, Assurance and Improvement; and Liam McManus, Divisional Finance Manager.
Unsung hero – acute
Winner: Nicola Lawson, Trauma and Orthopaedic Resource Manager
Shortlisted: AnCath Cabanting, Lead Rheumatology Specialist Nurse; Christian Allan Bajande, Advanced Podiatry Assistant; Francis Maw, Healthcare Assistant; and Mark Graham, Advanced Practitioner.
Community Team of the Year
Winner: Talking Therapies Team
Shortlisted: Care Homes Dietetics Team; Gateshead Equipment Services; School Nursing Team; and St Benedict’s Inpatient Team.
Corporate and Support Services Team of the Year Award
Winner: Safeguarding Team
Shortlisted: Advice and Complaints Team; Domestic Supervisors Team for Choice; Payroll and Pensions Team; and Team FY3.
Acute Team of the Year Award
Winner: Neonatal Team
Shortlisted: Infection Prevention and Control Team; Sunderland Eye Infirmary Main Theatres Team; Targeted Lung Health Check Team; and Ward 5 at South Tyneside District Hospital.
Governors’ Award
Christian Allan Bajande, Advanced Podiatry Assistant.
Chief Executive’s Award
Zoe Clapham, Clinical and Operational Lead for Endoscopy.
