Congratulations to Ward Sister Lucinda (Lou) Williams on scooping the ‘Seeing Me Award’ at this year’s South West Integrated Personalised Care Awards.
Lou, who specialises in dementia care, was celebrating with her colleagues on Abbey View Ward at Tewkesbury Community Hospital this morning, after picking up the award at last night’s glittering ceremony at Darlington Hall in Totnes, Devon.
Lou was nominated by colleagues for her excellent work in developing the CARE Dementia Support Tool – a document designed to help ward staff ensure they are doing all they can to support patients with dementia.
The tool ensures the individual communication needs of a person living with dementia are considered and understood when admitted to the ward. It specifically signposts to resources and assessment tools to assist with learning about each individual person, so that nursing staff understand and are better able to support the person’s behaviour, consider the environment and put in place any adaptations which will improve their experience while in hospital.
Lou said: “I’m still feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. It is such an honour to receive this award.
“I am so passionate about personalised care. It makes my role worthwhile, knowing that I have done all that I can to support someone in the best way for them.”
Ward Manager Suzanne Guilding said: “This award is so well deserved. Lucinda has always had a passion for caring for patients living with dementia. Her CARE tool is a great resource that can be used across all areas of care and she has implemented it on the ward here with wonderful feedback.
“This is a wonderful example of improving personalised care and has been led by a clinical nurse whose passion to improve the best standards of care inspires all.”
Matron Julie Ellery added: “Myself and all of Lou’s colleagues here at Tewkesbury Community Hospital are so proud of her. She deserves huge congratulations after all of her hard work and dedication to improving patient care.”
NHS England’s South West Personalised Care Awards are a way to give back, recognise and thank those people who work within health and care who focus on the ‘What Matters to You ‘approach and have influenced the lives of individuals, as well as the health and care system as a whole.
You can read more about the awards here>
