Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and the Trust is marking the occasion by publishing all the shout-outs received by colleagues from across the organisation.
As well as shout-outs, colleagues were keen to explain why they enjoy their administrative roles so much.
Yolandee Wilsdon, based on the Macmillan windmill day Unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, explained: “I very much enjoy my role as it me gives me the chance to show care and support, helping with bone marrow biopsies and Hickman lines. Making people feel as comfortable as I can in this scary journey.
“I like to be that listening ear that can help with support and helpful advise for patients and their families. It’s a honour to be in this position.”
Meanwhile, Shamina Hankinson, Clinical Trials Administrator in the Clinical Research Centre, added: “I think the skills from an administrative role are great skills to have and can be really helpful in your day to day life.
“As much as this role is heavily computer based and looks at IT skills, it is also reliant on communication. I would really recommend working in the administrative sector, I love my role and the team I work in and think it is very rewarding for me!
“Admin is a great sector to look into no matter how much experience you have and the skills you learn from it are easily transferable.”
You can see some of the shout-outs below:
Shout-out to Gosia Malgorzata Ragun
“Please could we give a shout out to our amazing admin, Gosia (Malgorzata Ragun), without whom South, but particularly South Central HV team, would be absolutely lost. She has been an amazing source of support over the last couple of years, but more so recently during a period of extreme stress for us, providing not only consistently excellent admin but also going above and beyond her paygrade completing additional work when asked, as well as providing containment to us, her team colleagues, whether this be a brew that suddenly appears on your desk without asking, a chat or an ear to listen.
During times when Gosia is absent, we also have fantastic support from the other admins within the wider Blackpool teams, who step in to support us – Anne Gorse, Michelle Fraser and Kelly Connolly – Thank you.”
From Miriam, on behalf of South Central and South HV teams
Carolyn Dickinson, Community Clinical Improvement Team
“I would like to show our appreciation for our team administrator Carolyn Dickinson, from the Community Clinical Improvement Team. Carolyn plays such a vital role in the smooth running of our team and we would be lost without her!”
From Sarah Jennings, Clinical Improvement Manager
The Workforce Services team
“I would like to say a HUGE thank you and acknowledge the hard work undertaken by all of the staff within Workforce Services. Workforce services comprises, payroll, recruitment, ESR/Workforce Information, temporary staffing, e-rostering, medical deployment, medical workforce and volunteers.
“These services are fundamental to the provision of patient care as they help to ensure staff are in the right place, at the right time, that everybody is paid and that we are able to provide accurate data relating to our workforce.
“This is a largely unsung workforce and today is a great opportunity to say thank you and to draw positive attention to the work they do.”
Eleanor Palmer-Rigby, Interim Associate Director of HR
Stadium admin staff and receptionists
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our amazing admin staff here at the stadium. They work so hard and certainly make our job a lot easier. They are approachable, helpful, thoughtful and caring. We are so lucky and privileged to have them, we could not ask for a better team.
“Please could I give a shout out to: Nicola Worsley, Caron Wilson, Heather Mansfield, Laura Houghton, Lisa Wright and Amy Pearson and also our two receptionists Alan Brown and Daniel Mudd. They do an absolute sterling job and recognition of their services would be greatly appreciated.”
Lorraine Tymon, End of Life Facilitator
Linda O’Reilly and Pamela Milne, St Annes Primary Care Centre
“I would like to express some words of thanks to our Administrative Team, Linda O’Reilly and Pamela Milne.
“Linda is our secretary who keeps the whole Team organised as well as answering a very busy phone line and dealing with the calls in a friendly and professional manner.
“Pam deals with processing all the queries and assessments for our Home Delivery service, a vital service for so many of our patients and their carers.
“Without these lovely Ladies, our service would not function. On National Administrative Professionals Day I feel it is important to let them know how much they are appreciated.”
Jeanette Munton, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Bladder and Bowel Team at St. Annes Primary Care Centre
MSK & Podiatry Service Team Administrators
“Big shout out to all of the MSK & Podiatry Service Team Administrators, thank you for all your hard work every day, your positive ‘can do ‘ attitude and your willingness to help our clinical colleagues. You are all amazing!”
Carla Pendlebury, MSK Service Support Team Lead
Diane Kirkwood, Intermediate Care Fylde and Wyre Team
“I would like to make a shout out to my teams administrator Diane Kirkwood for all she does for myself and my team. She deals with daily calls from patients, colleagues and our other partners including social care and handles each call with a professional and empathetic manner and can often address queries straight away in order to take the pressure off staff.
“She keeps us well stocked up with assessment packs so we can continue to hit the ground running. Diane completes a whole range of administrative tasks to keep our service running smoothly and also assists me as her team leader.
“She is in charge of our teams buddy system, keeping us all in check throughout the day and keeping us all safe. Not only is she our teams administrator but our Mental Health and Well Being Champion too! She keeps us all updated on developments and keeps us informed on events. Her input into our team is exceptional and we would be lost without her. She really does deserve this shout out 100%.
“Diane, thank you for all your hard work and all you do for me and the team. We all truly appreciate all you do for us.”
Dawn Townson, Team leader, Intermediate Care Fylde and Wyre Team, Westview Health Village
Anne Steele, Ward Clare, Lancashire Suite
“I would like to recognise the work of Anne Steele. Anne is the Ward Clark on Lancs Suite, she is a fountain of knowledge, she is very kind and caring and always gos the extra mile not only on our ward but within the cardiac unit!
“She keeps us smiling, always has a keen sense of humour and even makes cakes (delicious cakes) to keep us going on those busy days! She mentors new admin staff from others wards, imparting her many years of skills and knowledge and is a valuable member of our cardiac family!
“She is a team player, she is not shy about helping care for our patients and can be found making beds, cleaning rooms and dishing out meals when times are hard on the ward! She keeps us all fed and watered and makes those hard days a little easier!
“Just want to say thank you, without her, our job would be so much harder. She is an asset to us all. Thanks Anne! “
Dane Richardson
Debbie Aspinall, Poulton District Nurses
“Just wanted to send a message re my colleague Debbie Aspinall (Poulton DNs). Debbie is always happy to help, always with a smile on her face, and always gives us the positive motivation when we need it the most. We would be lost without her.”
Amy, Poulton District Nurses
Alessandra Catone, Clinical Trials Data Administrator in R&D
“Alex joined this administrative role the same time as me and it has been wonderful working alongside with her. She has picked up her data entry and communication skills really fast, and is always polite to everyone in the team. I would like to thank Alex for her teamwork in our department, and how she is always willing to help.”
Shamina Hankinson, Clinical Trials Administrator, Clinical Research Centre
Nikki Worsley, Amy McDevitte, Rebekah Mure, Cally Sheward, Liz Haley, Fylde Enhanced Primary Care Team
“Nikki Worsley does an amazing job to support our heads, deputy heads of locality and the FICC community team leaders– she is always there with an answer and is always very positive and efficient with what she does.
“Amy McDevitte, Rebekah Mure and Cally Sheward (Fylde EPC Team administrators)- Are a great bunch of team administrators that have an amazing work ethic to support a large number of staff, spread across the Fylde coast. They are always being asked to implement different processes- and they always have a ‘can do’ approach and fulfil to an excellent standard at all times. They are pivotal to the workings of the team and should be acknowledged. Thank you!
“Liz Haley- Falls Service Team Administrator. She has supported me when I was team leader for the Falls Service and deserves being acknowledged for the great work that she does to support the team leader, the staff and also the patients that she links in with as a contact on the end of the phone. Liz has also got a can do approach to things.”
Suzanne Parker, Team Leader/Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, Fylde Enhanced Primary Care Team
Safeguarding Admin Team
“Could you please give a big shout out to the Safeguarding Admin Team at BTH – big thanks for all they do in supporting our some of our most vulnerable patients.”
Heather Bradley Tsopanoglou, Personal Assistant – Safeguarding
Lucy Brockhill and Jess Nuttall, Delivery Suite
“Lucy Brocklhill and Jess Nuttall are amazing, I and many others who need their help and support on delivery suite would be lost without them most organised pair and so hardworking. Nothing is too much trouble, kind and compassionate about their work, the women and their partners and the staff.”
Megan Murray, Bereavement Support Nurse Specialist
Heart Failure Admin Team
“Please can you do a big thank you to our heart failure administrative team: Stacey Trevelyan, Gemma Bell, Elaine Nicholson, Denise Shawcross.”
Lesley Howard, Lead Heart Failure Nurse Specialist, Heart Failure Office
Medical Secretaries and PAs
“Big shout out please to all the Medical Secretaries and PAs around the Trust for all their hard work and commitment.”
Patrice Day, Child Health Offices
Community Frailty Service Admin Team
“Could you please put out a huge thankyou shout out to the administration team within the Community Frailty Service – they are a massive source of support to us all and we wouldn’t have the success we do without them.”
Sarah Beacham, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Community Frailty Service, South Shore Primary Care Centre.
Janette Brown, Patient Recruitment Centre
“Janette Brown is a Cardiology Clinical Trials Administrator here at Blackpool’s Patient Recruitment Centre, many may know or remember her because during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic she wore pink scrubs throughout the Hospital and may have been the only person in Blackpool with such a brightly coloured set of scrubs.
“The reason for my shout-out is to commend her exemplary teaching throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. I myself joined just before the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020 and Janette in part helped train me to work within the department throughout my apprenticeship during a time when, as many will remember, the pandemic caused working practices to change daily and not only me, as the pandemic continued Janette continued to foster confidence in and encourage new starters throughout the pandemic to grow into their new job roles within Research and I feel as though this act of camaraderie and kindness went unrecognised.”
Anonymous
Kelly Elliot, District Nurse Assistant
“I would like to give a big shout out to our District Nurse assistant Kelly Elliott. Always smiling and happy, always willing to go the extra mile in her role. Genuinely enjoys her job and it shows. The team is grateful for her fantastic input!”
Sharon Shaw, Community Matron, Central West Team
Gemma Martin and Sue Fisher, Fleetwood District Nurses
“I wanted to write a little comment about my 2 lovely admin staff at Fleetwood District Nurses, Gemma Martin and Sue Fisher.
“Gemma and Sue always go above and beyond for the patients contacting the District Nursing service, strive to give compassionate care and make the difference every day. Thank you for all your commitment and dedication you show to our service.”
Jemma Passmore, District Nurse Team Leader, Fleetwood District Nurses
Admin team, Primary/intermediate Mental Health Team
“I just wanted to shout out the amazing work our admin team do over in the primary/intermediate mental health team. They work in a very pressured environment dealing with patients who are often significantly distressed and with many demands from the various professionals working within the team. They are absolutely the most awesome compassionate team, always smiling with a can do attitude. They’re a pleasure to work alongside and I think they deserve the biggest shout out as we could not do the work we do without their support, knowledge, and expertise!
“So thanks so much guys you are absolutely appreciated and we celebrate the amazing work you do for the people of Blackpool!”
Charlene Lee-Thornton, Mental Health NMP Clinical Lead, Primary & Intermediate Mental Health Team
Julie Hunt, Ward Clerk, Ward 37
“I would like to say a big thank you to our fantastic Ward Clerk Julie Hunt. Julie is a fantastic, kind and hard working member of the team and keeps the ward running on a daily basis.
“Patients and relatives always praise the care given by the nursing and care staff on the ward but Ward Clerks are just as important so deserve to receive this recognition.”
Ben Ashton, Ward Manager, Ward 37
Admin Team, Community Frailty Service
“Please could I put out a massive thanks to the admin team at the Community Frailty Service. We are extremely lucky to be well supported by a dedicated and professional admin team.
“They are the first point of contact for all our patients and are regularly given positive feedback regarding their kind and caring telephone manner. The whole CFS admin team is extremely efficient and regularly go above and beyond to support the whole clinical team as well as our patients.
“Their hard work and amazing organisation skills support our clinical to ensure we can maximise the time we spend directly with our patients. The team have also supported colleagues to develop into different roles within the NHS, showing just what a fantastic and forward thinking team they are. They are priceless!”
Sarah Sloan, Nurse Consultant, Community Frailty Service
Youtherapy admin staff
“Our fantastic admin staff work tirelessly to ensure that the young people who access the service are given the best practice possible. Often, they are the first point of contact for our young people, and without any doubt, they always greet people with a smile, a welcome and some valuable and well needed conversation. Without our admin staff, the team couldn’t do the work needed for the young people who access our service, they are a vital part of our team and the team cannot thank them enough.
“Jill, Kelly and Sophie, You are amazing and we appreciate you so much!”
Connor Axon, Assistant Practitioner, Options 4 CYP / YoutherapY
Business Support Team, Adult Safeguarding:
“Please can I give a shout out and thank you to our business support team who work tirelessly to keep our safeguarding team running smoothly so we can get out and about supporting vulnerable patients for National Administrative Professionals Day.”
Paul Corry
Sara Jones, Pain Management Service
“I’d like to put a shout out to Sara Jones. She joined our team to provide admin support for pain psychology two days a week. We had not had any support for 6 months before so she came into a significant backlog and has been working her way through it, learning as she goes.
“She is lovely with patients and is being a massive support to me and keeping the world turning for patients and staff and I am so grateful to her and would love for her to have a shout out on National Administrative Professionals’ Day.”
Dr Susanne White, Principal Clinical Psychologist