TUESDAY, 17 JUNE, 2025

Photographs attached: 1 – School Nursing Service, 2 – Grant Cooper, 3 – Angus Urgent Care ANP Team, 4 – Ninewells AMU Nursing Team, 5 – Irene Third (second left) with colleagues, 6 – Gwen Gordon

Tayside nurses celebrated for exceptional contributions to nursing

Nursing staff from across a range of NHS Tayside services have been recognised at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards.

NHS Tayside had six finalists in five categories at the awards, and came home with three winners, one runner up and two highly commended.

The School Nursing Service won the Children’s Nursing and Midwifery Award. The dedicated, compassionate team provides innovative, high-quality care for school-aged children and young people in areas including mental health, child protection, care-experienced youth, homelessness, substance use, sexual health, and domestic abuse. By working holistically, they strive to address adverse childhood experiences and ensure children have access to dental care, healthcare support, and family-focused interventions.

Grant Cooper, a newly qualified community nurse based in Forfar, picked up the award for Nursing Student of the Year. Grant made a bold career change to pursue nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic, while caring for his disabled parents. As a student, he stood out for his academic excellence and dedication in clinical placements, receiving glowing feedback and completing his degree with merit. After graduating from the University of Dundee and taking up post with NHS Tayside, Grant quickly gained recognition as a skilled and compassionate nurse.

The winner of the Nursing Team of the Year Award was the Angus Urgent Care Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Team, while the Ninewells Hospital Acute Medical Unit (AMU) Nursing Team was highly commended.

The Urgent Care ANP Team, which is part of Angus Health and Social Care Partnership, provides timely, high-quality urgent care to more than 10,000 patients annually, collaborating with GPs, practice staff, and other healthcare providers to ensure seamless care. Since its inception, the team has helped to reduce waiting times, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce GP workloads, resulting in fewer hospital admissions and improved continuity of care.

The AMU Nursing Team at Ninewells is described as a model of exceptional teamwork and dedication, providing high-quality, patient-centred care in a high-pressure environment, demonstrating clinical expertise, resilience, and adaptability, and working collaboratively to manage a high volume of patients with complex medical needs. Their focus on holistic, compassionate care has led to improved patient outcomes, satisfaction, and a positive impact on colleagues.

In the Nursing Support Worker of the Year category, Catherine Third, known locally as Irene, from Loch Leven Health Centre was named as joint runner up. Irene is known for her genuine, person-centred care and her ability to go above and beyond for the people she cares for. She is widely respected by the medical team and is an expert in areas like venipuncture, phlebotomy, and long-term condition reviews, playing a key role in teaching her colleagues these skills.

Clinical educator Gwen Gordon was highly commended in the Learning in Practice Award. Nominated for her outstanding mentorship and advocacy for internationally recruited nurses, Gwen provides clinical and professional training and offers emotional and practical support to nurses transitioning to life in the UK. She exemplifies compassionate leadership, resulting in measurable benefits for patients, nurses, and the broader healthcare system.

Executive Nurse Director Simon Dunn said, “I’m delighted that so many of our fantastic nursing staff have been recognised with awards at the RCN Nurse of the Year ceremony. It’s a great achievement to even be shortlisted for these prestigious awards and I’m so pleased to see our staff celebrated in this way. It’s a testament to the exceptional dedication, skill, and compassionate care they provide to our patients.”

The RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards spotlight excellence in Scottish nursing, acknowledging, highlighting and celebrating the unwavering commitment and exceptional professional care provided by our nursing staff. For more information on the awards and all the winners please visit www.rcn.org.uk/scotland/News-and-Events/News.

Contact:

Louise Wilson

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740718