Hospital calls on patients to nominate top staff (From Wiltshire Times)

Hospital calls on patients to nominate top staff

4:02pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Latest News By Jill Crooks

The Great Western Hospital, Swindon, is seeking nominations for staff who have provided exceptional service.

The hospital has created a new category – the Patient’s Choice Award – in its annual staff excellence awards.

It is to recognise the difference staff make to patients.

The hospital also manages the community hospitals in Wiltshire and the Neigh-bourhood Teams, where staff treat people at home. The nominations also apply to those community staff.

Oonagh Fitzgerald, director of workforce and education at GWH, said: “We always welcome feedback from patients, as it shows us the areas we need to improve on and also the areas where we are doing well. We often receive letters from patients and service users, telling us about individual members of staff who have made their lives better, and we want to formally recognise them.

“The Patient’s Choice Award has been introduced this year to highlight these areas where we are doing well and give patients the chance to acknowledge staff members or teams who have gone the extra mile.”

A judging panel will include a patient representative and the deadline for nominations is March 16.

Forms are available on the at www.gwh.nhs.uk, for downloading, or can be requested from the hospital on 01793 604431.