Community matron and district nurse honoured at trust’s thank you event

Andrea Black, pictured top left, and below Claire Thornton with team members

A community matron and a district nurse have been honoured at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s Thank You ceremony.

Every year the trust celebrates their staff’s achievements at its Thank You ceremony with its board members surprising colleagues at their bases with a hamper, balloons and a certificate for being shining examples of magnificent staff behaviours.

This year’s winners included Morley Neighbourhood Services Community Matron Claire Thornton who won Colleague of the Year and Wetherby Neighbourhood Service District Nurse Andrea Black who won the Kate Granger Patient Care Award.

The trust said Claire’s dedication and commitment to the neighbourhood team and the wider primary care organisation made her the perfect recipient of Colleague of the Year. Claire works across the neighbourhood team and primary care network, as a community matron in the neighbourhood, and care home matron within the integrated care homes service. She is widely respected across both teams and by the social care colleagues.

Claire has been instrumental in developing a new service, which works across organisational boundaries, and has made the strengths and impact of the community nursing role visible.

Community Matron Sue Parker nominated Claire and said: “As a clinician she always supports patients and families, passionately championing the right to equal access to care and challenging traditional ways of working to ensure a patient’s preferred place of care can be achieved.

“Claire is committed to community care and to continuing to develop her own skills and knowledge. Her zest and enthusiasm are tangible and inspires colleagues to value each other and the work we do every day."

District Nurse Andrea Black was put forward for her award in recognition of her professionalism, dedication to excellent patient care and for leading by example.

She started her journey at the trust at Yeadon Neighbourhood Team and is an experienced and highly skilled District Nurse with several years’ experience working in Leeds.

The trust said Andrea is an advocate for high quality patient centred care. She continually shows excellent competence in her role, treating patients with compassion, honesty and fairness, especially in what are often tense and complex situations.

Care Quality Manager Patricia Kuster nominated Andrea and said: “A recent incident I worked on, that Andrea supported with, relating to a patient with complex physical and mental health needs was extremely difficult. The circumstances have at times been testing for staff and emotionally very challenging. The outcome of the review highlighted Andrea's unwavering commitment to the patient's care and demonstrated her fantastic skills as a Nurse. Her ability to lead the team so efficiently is an example of excellence.”

As well as her tremendous patient care, the trust said Andrea is a very supportive member of the team, approachable and trustworthy.