THURSDAY, 22 JUNE, 2023

• Photographs attached: Photo 1: Irene McDade, Practice Education Coordinator (Nursing and Midwifery) NHS Education for Scotland (NES) – Award Sponsor Learning in Practice Award Winner Cath Cook, Team Leader of the Complex Care Service within Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, Barbara O’Donnell, Head of Programme Practice Education & Pre-registration, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) – Award Sponsor, Photo 2: Cheryl Gray, NHS Tayside Learning Disabilities Charge Nurse, Beth Hamilton NHS Tayside Non Executive Board Member and NHS Tayside Staff Nurse Lynn Campbell

Inspirational NHS Tayside nurses recognised in national awards ceremony

A Dundee nurse, Cath Cook, was announced winner of the Learning in Practice Award and the Learning Disability Intensive Support Service (LDISS) team at Murray Royal Hospital was the runner up of the Learning Disability Nursing Award at the prestigious Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards.

The ceremony, held yesterday evening (Wednesday 21 June 2023) at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, recognised Cath Cook, Team Leader of the Complex Care Service within Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership, described by colleagues as inspirational, having developed and established a community-based service to deliver leg ulcer, wound, and catheter care to the people of Dundee.

This first of its kind project in Scotland has become a national gold standard which Cath has showcased to both national and European health improvement conference delegates.

With Cath shortly to retire, her colleagues speak of her service as the positive legacy she will pass on to the future nurses of Dundee.

Praising Cath for her achievement, Libby Smith, NHS Tayside Community Nurse Manager said, “Cath is so deserving of this recognition, her innovation is exceptional. She has created a positive learning environment with person centred care at the heart where nursing staff and students will continue to develop and thrive. Cath always strives for excellence and this development allows nurses to feel supported and empowered to deliver high quality patient care.”

NHS Tayside, Executive Director of Nursing, Claire Pearce said: “I am absolutely delighted that these exceptional nurses and teams have been recognised by the RCN awards. Their dedication, compassion and commitment to their patients is outstanding I am immensely proud of them.”  

Congratulations were also in order for the Learning Disability Intensive Support Service (LDISS) team at Murray Royal Hospital who were the runner up of the Learning Disability Nursing Award. This award recognises those who have succeeded in raising standards of care for their patients and clients and have made an outstanding contribution to the care of service users. Described by colleagues as a team who exemplify learning disability nursing, the LDISS Team developed a high-quality therapeutic monitoring system for people with a learning disability which has ultimately led to improved health outcomes of people with a learning disability in Perth and Kinross.

NHS Tayside Learning Disabilities Charge Nurse, Cheryl Gray, said, “We are thrilled to be recognised as a team for the work we do. Lynn and I are deeply passionate about supporting people with learning disabilities and driving change and would encourage everyone to consider a career in learning disabilities. The potential is limitless and the reward of knowing you have contributed to improving someone’s quality of life is priceless.”

Contact:

Abigail Reid

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740716