A SPECIAL event was held to honour healthcare staff who have won or been in the running for awards.

Staff from a range of services were congratulated by the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust's Board  for receiving local, regional and national accolades over the last 12 months.

Included in this year’s event was the iCare staff ideas programme, who won the coveted Nursing Times Workforce Award for Best Employer for Staff Recognition.

The Workforce Awards celebrate organisations and individuals who are pioneering new approaches with fantastic results from the initiatives they are doing.

Sue Francis, Children Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Trainer and Facilitator, was also amongst the guests, who was successful in winning the Learning and Education category at the Positive Practice National Children and Young People’s Mental Health Awards. This was for her work in developing a child-friendly resilience passport to help promote emotional wellbeing for children.

The Board also invited the winners from the Trust’s monthly Living Our Values Awards, which launched in the spring.

Each month, three winners are selected by Chief Executive, Brent Kilmurray, for who he feels best demonstrates the Trust’s values: We Care, We Listen, We Deliver.

In spring this year, Tom Rhodes, Fire Officer at the Trust, received the Research and Education in Healthcare Fire Safety Award from the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers.

The national award is presented to a fire officer who has improved, promoted and championed fire safety within their Trust, but has also informed and educated other NHS fire officers of their work, to improve healthcare fire safety nationally.

In October, Pamela Shaw, Health Visitor, Practice Educator and Queen’s Nurse, successfully clinched a National BAME (Black Asian and minority ethnic) Health and Care Award in the 'Inspiring Diversity and Inclusion Lead' category.

She has helped to raise the bar in ensuring the whole service responds to BAME patients' needs, striving to ensure their views are heard, and taking an active part in encouraging Trust staff to help raise the profile and needs of the BAME community.

Last month, The Trust’s ‘Making Work, Work’, Individual Placement and Support Employment service (IPS) was accredited by the Centre for Mental Health as a UK Centre of Excellence.

The IPS Centres of Excellence are exemplary in their use of the IPS model and the job outcomes they achieve for people with severe and enduring mental health conditions. The Trust is currently the only Centre of Excellence in Yorkshire and one of 19 in the UK.

Trust Chair, Cathy Elliott said: “Congratulations to all the staff who have been recognised by so many different award bodies this year. These award winners are celebrated examples of how our staff are dedicated to going the extra mile to make our Trust the best place to work and to offer the best quality services to local people.

"The Board and I are incredibly proud of all the hard work that happens every day."