FRIDAY, 29 DECEMBER, 2023

Photographs attached: 1 – Georgia McKinley, 2 – Akshaya Ghosh, 3 – Dan Taylor-Derwick, 4 – Meda Sincaite

Saltire Awards presented to young NHS Tayside volunteers

Eighteen NHS Tayside volunteers have been presented with a national award which recognises the commitment and contribution of young people in volunteering.

NHS Tayside volunteers aged between 16 and 25 can sign up to the Saltire Award to record their hours and learning gained through volunteering placements and claim certificates for key milestones.

Saltire Award certificates were presented to the following volunteers for their volunteering efforts in acute services:

50 hours

Sophie Dykes – Acute Medical Unit, Ninewells
Georgia McKinley – Acute Medical Unit, Ninewells
Jessica Philp – ward 1, Ninewells

Tsz Ching Wong – ward 18, Ninewells

25 hours

Hasan Al-Hussein – ward 27, Ninewells

Akshaya Ghosh – ward 4, Ninewells

Fraser Harper – ward 4, Ninewells

Charlize Llido – ward 1, Perth Royal Infirmary

Grace Ugwuocha – ward 18, Ninewells

10 hours

Isabella Crowe – ward 38, Ninewells

Rebecca Gray – ward 4, Ninewells

Anukritii Jariwala – ward 16, Ninewells

Rayyan Khan – ward 16, Ninewells

Meda Sincaite – Short Stay Medicine, Ninewells

Daniel Taylor-Derwick – Acute Medical Unit, Ninewells

Sania Zulfikar – Short Stay Medicine, Ninewells

Diya Sarju – ward 1, Carseview Centre

Heer Vyas – ward 1, Carseview Centre

Georgia McKinley volunteers in the Acute Medical Unit at Ninewells. She said, “I was surprised to find out I had reached 50 hours of volunteering so quickly. I have applied to study medicine at university and have found the whole volunteer experience great for my learning. It has helped develop my interpersonal skills and increased my confidence when speaking to other people. The experience has also provided exposure to what it is like being in a clinical environment. On a personal note I really enjoy volunteering in the hospital and have enjoyed meeting lots of new people.”

Akshaya Ghosh loves volunteering in ward 4 and he is really grateful for the opportunity to help the community. Akshaya said, “I would like to thank all the staff at ward 4 for welcoming me. I am really enjoying the experience and interacting with the patients is not so difficult to do now as it was when I started volunteering.”

Dan Taylor-Derwick also volunteers in the Acute Medical Ward in Ninewells. He said, “My role involves chatting to patients and I particularly like meeting them and having a variety of conversations to help pass the time for them. I am a second year medical student and find volunteering really rewarding. The Saltire Award is a great way to recognise my volunteering hours.”

Meda Sincaite volunteers in the Short Stay Medicine ward in Ninewells. On receiving the certificate Meda said, “It’s great to have my volunteering hours recognised and I am now working towards the next milestone of 25 hours. I enjoy helping out in the ward and particularly enjoy helping the staff serve tea and coffee and chatting to patients as I do this.”

Voluntary services manager Val Ewan said, “We are grateful to all volunteers who give their time to NHS Tayside. I would like to recognise these volunteers who have reached Saltire milestones. They all do this whilst studying at school or further education with many of them hoping to follow a career in healthcare. We look forward to recognising the next milestone award with them.”

Contact:

Louise Wilson

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740718