No one made a difference quite like our Community Staff Nurse, Rose, who went away with not one, but two awards at our annual staff Make a Difference awards which celebrates our winners from 2019-2020.

As we began our response to COVID-19, we had to cancel our awards ceremony in March – but we didn’t let the pandemic stop us celebrating our amazing colleagues. Including Rose, a nurse based in Barking and Dagenham, with over 39 years’ NHS service, who won our Care and Compassion Award and our first ever NELFT Nurse Award, marking the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

Although we couldn’t come together for our celebrations in the same way this year, we decided to celebrate her amazing achievements a little differently with a surprise visit from our Chief Executive, Professor Oliver Shanley OBE, and Chief Nurse, Stephanie Dawe.

With her team mates and managers in attendance secretly ready to cheer her on, Rose was thoroughly surprised to receive her awards in recognition of the truly selfless and compassionate care she shows her patients every day – including Christmas Day! She spent last Christmas Day – her day off – cooking and visiting elderly patients she knew would be alone, purchased them gifts from her own pocket, pulled a cracker with them and making sure they were comfortable.

Oliver Shanley, Chief Executive, said: “What she did through her own act of kindness and compassion would have fundamentally changed how her patients felt that day.

“I am enormously proud and privileged to give this award to Rose which she thoroughly deserves as she is truly an inspiring nurse.

Stephanie Dawe, Chief Nurse, said: “I was really delighted to mark 2020, the International Year of the Nurse, and award our first ever NELFT Nurse award to Rose, who absolutely epitomises what it is to be a nurse.”

Her colleague who nominated her said: “This is a well-deserved award to someone who puts patients first and has gone above and beyond of what is expected of them. Rose always shows compassion and care to all of her patients, the special effort made to ensure those who were frail, elderly and alone on Christmas Day shows true dedication to patient care.”

Rose said: “I was so surprised to win – it’s lovely! I love my job and being able to go into people’s homes to make their life better or more comfortable, and form a connection with my patients. That is what it means to be a nurse.”

Every year our Make a Difference Awards recognise staff who go above and beyond to deliver great care for our patients and support each other, and Rose – who was se selected as a winner before the pandemic – is an examples of a true NHS hero.

Meet all our Make a Difference winners

• NELFT Nurse Award: Rose Mitchell, Community Staff Nurse
• Care and Compassion Award: Rose Mitchell, Community Staff Nurse
• Team/Department Award: Acute Crisis and Assessment Team (ACAT)
• Leadership Award: Debbie Feetham, Assistant Director Immediate Care
• Outstanding Achievement Award: Salim Danyen, Integrated Care Assistant
• Improvement to Services Award: Karen Mills, Deputy Ward Manager
• Working in Partnership Award: Jennifer Iheanetu, School Nurse
• Chair’s Special Recognition Award: Justine Reed, Respiratory Nurse
• Harm Free Care Award: Diane Quinn, Community Mental Health Nurse