Team North nurses recognised at Nurse of the Year Awards
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has enjoyed a hugely successful night at the RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year awards.
The Trust came away with three overall winners, five runner-up awards, and one highly commended after receiving nominations for nine members of staff across seven different categories.
The annual awards are a celebration of nursing excellence, and an opportunity to highlight the contribution that nurses make to patient care.
Team North Learning Disabilities Nurse Aaron Smyth received the Chief Nursing Officer Rising Star Award, Community Healthcare Assistant Gráinne McCusker was the winner of the Healthcare Support Worker Award while Christina Faulkner, Farm Families Health Checks Programme Coordinator, was selected for the Public Health Award.
Offering her congratulation, Suzanne Pullins, Executive Director of Nursing with the Northern Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud of our Team North staff who were shortlisted this year across a range of categories, highlighting our depth of nursing innovation and commitment to nursing excellence.
“Our nursing staff are there day and night, delivering compassionate care at all times. Our patients’ wellbeing is central to everything they do, and recognition like this is hugely encouraging for them and their wider colleagues, and a timely reminder about the importance of their work and the difference that they make.”
Aaron Smyth – Rising Star winner
Aaron identified a significant gap in educational tools tailored for people with learning disabilities. Collaborating with lecturers, a tissue viability nurse and an e-learning developer, he created an engaging, accessible video on pressure ulcer prevention, specifically targeted towards people with learning disabilities. The resource can be used to support one-to-one learning or to promote group discussions, and is now used as an essential health promotion tool for skin integrity across all patient groups, not just those with learning disabilities. It has enabled further staff training to provide effective support and guidance for people with learning disabilities.
Gráinne McCusker – Healthcare Support Worker winner
Working in a rural part of the Northern Trust with an elderly population, Gráinne McCusker’s patients remarked on her kindness, respect and how her visits lift their spirits. Judges noted Gráinne’s passion and commitment to meeting the needs and upholding the dignity of older people, as well as her strong focus on ensuring person-centred care.
Grainne has challenged herself to learn new skills and through her commitment to professional development she has completed a level three diploma in health and social care, subsequently progressing to undergraduate study with the Open University
Christina Faulkner- Public Health Award winner
Christina Faulkner received the Public Health Award for her work with farmers and the rural community, providing accessible and comprehensive health screening and support. Christina’s proactive approach has led to the early detection of conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and weight issues. Christina also provides mental health screening, cancer prevention advice and refers farmers to appropriate services and provides tailored lifestyle advice.
The judging panel commended the clear evidence of the success of Christina’s work and her commitment to meeting the health care needs of farming and rural communities.
Runners-up and highly commended
Congratulations go to Maria Loughran, Head of Nursing Workforce and Utilisation and Caroline Riddell, Safe Staffing Lead Nurse, who were runners-up in the Digital and Data Innovation category.
Their leadership has enabled the development of a shared vision and purpose by supporting, educating and empowering staff to understand workforce principles, utilisation, budgeting and rostering to ensure safe and effective patient-centred nursing teams.
The judging panel noted their capacity to use data in order to improve patient care, as well as the evidence displayed of good governance, cross-departmental working and effective leadership.
Una Marie McAuley was runner-up in the Patient Choice Award for the outstanding care she provided to a man who suffered a traumatic brain injury following a fall.
The patient’s daughter said: “Una Marie is one in a million. Since my dad’s dreadful accident, we have met so many wonderful nurses, doctors and physios, and we will be forever indebted to them all. But Una Marie stands out as the person who saw him not just as her patient but also saw the person behind the injury. She gave him respect, care, compassion and emotional reassurance. She gave us, as a family, empathy and respect.”
The judging panel recognised how Una Marie uses her nursing skills and capacity to go the extra mile in order to provide exemplary patient care.
Advanced Nurse Practitioner in District Nursing Maria Betts was runner up in the Nursing Research award. Maria’s research explored experiences of the palliative care keyworker role amongst family caregivers of people living with motor neurone disease. Workforce shortages in specialist palliative care drove Maria to advocate for developing community specialists. She is passionate not only about delivering person-centred care but educating and supporting other nurses to do likewise.
In the Nurse of the Year award, Orla Mathews, Dementia Service Improvement Lead Nurse, was joint runner-up with the judging panel impressed by her passion for improving outcomes for patients and staff, and the positive evaluation of her achievements. Orla has enhanced the quality of care for people living with dementia in a hospital setting whilst improving job satisfaction for staff by providing resources for training, meaningful activity and therapeutic engagement.
In the same category, Ward Manager Steven Kelly was commended for his role in setting up, developing and leading a same day emergency care unit at Causeway Hospital. The unit aims to provide the right care in the right place at the right time, improving patient experience whilst reducing waiting times and the level of hospital admissions. The judging panel noted Steven’s passion and commitment, as well as the clear evidence of his success in developing and leading a service that has improved patient care and experience.
Congratulations to all our winners and nominees. We are immensely proud of their achievements and wish them continued success in the future.
Pictured above, Learning Disabilities Nurse Aaron Smyth who received the Chief Nursing Officer Rising Star Award with Maria McIlgorm and Rita Devlin.
6th June 2025
