Two colleagues from The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust have won awards ahead of the national Allied Health Professionals (AHP) Day on Monday 14 October 2024.
Starting the celebrations, Occupational Therapist Cath Jay won the Learner Student of the Year Award at the South Yorkshire Teaching Partnership Awards on Thursday 10 October. The award recognised her commitment and hard work while completing the Level 6 Occupational Therapist (integrated degree) apprenticeship.
Cath qualified as an occupational therapist in October 2023, but has worked as an assistant practitioner since she started working for the Trust in 1995.
Cath said: “It was lovely just to have been considered and nominated. I never expected to win but it was a lovely surprise and I feel very honoured to have won.”
Katherine South, Dietetic Assistant Practitioner also won an award at the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Awards on 11 October. She was rewarded for her work in the Rotherham Care Homes Hydration Project by receiving the AHP Innovation and Improvement Award.
The project was a collaborative approach between NHS professionals, including the Trust’s Nutrition and Dietetics team and NHS South Yorkshire’s Medicines Management Team, as well as Rotherham Council’s care homes team.
It received funding from NHS England and put a number of hydration projects in place to help reduce the number of admissions to hospital from care homes. The results show huge improvements including a reduction of ambulance call outs, antibiotic use, laxatives, barrier products and UTIs. The project has also seen the wider team being shortlisted for the upcoming HSJ Awards.
Katherine said: “I am absolutely thrilled about winning the CAHPO award and so grateful for the support I have received.
“The residents are at the heart of the project, so I am very happy with the improvements, and the CAHPO award is the icing on the cake. I have to give credit to the care home staff as without their engagement, none of the results would have been possible. I really hope that our success has highlighted the difference that hydration and teamwork can make.”
Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS and include 14 professions, of which nine are employed by The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust:
AHP Day takes place on 14 October each year and celebrates the AHPs across the NHS and the impact they have on patients. AHP colleagues held information stands in the main entrance of Rotherham Hospital to mark the occasion, raising awareness of the professions, the services they offer and the careers available.
Andy Brammer, Chief AHP for the Trust, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see our vital AHP support workforce here at The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust receiving national recognition in Katherine’s success. Cath’s achievement in completing her apprenticeship and receiving her award also shows the impact of investing in and supporting our support workforce to develop and grow, and if they wish to, to move into roles as registered AHPs. Everyone in both teams are very proud of them both.”