National recognition for Dr Rabi Nambi as teamwork helps 'put UHDB on the UK dermatology map'
University Hospital of Derby and Burton's (UHDB) very own "Duracell bunny of dermatology" has been recognised for his impact on the field and named Clinician of the Year by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD).
Dr Rabi Nambi - a Consultant Dermatologist at the Trust since 2004 - was awarded the prize at the BAD Annual Meeting in Glasgow last week, with the award honouring someone who has, "through their leadership and contributions...raised the profile of dermatology, supported colleagues or made improvements to local services."
It is fair to say that Rabi has had impacts across each of those criteria, with the citation nominating him for the prize - contributed by his trainees and consultant colleagues - praising his role as a "supportive mentor" whose "formidable level of knowledge is no less great than his ability to inspire his colleagues, junior and senior alike", providing invaluable learning opportunities for the next generation of dermatologists at UHDB and beyond, while ensuring top-quality care for the hospital community.
That includes the way in which Rabi is working with his enthusiastic registrars to reduce 'advice and guidance' referrals and bringing waiting lists down efficiently, while ensuring high-quality care and support for patients.
On receiving the prize, he said: "It was really nice to be recognised by my peers - it was a surreal moment, getting the award. When I was given the award, I was very keen to thank the NHS for giving me this opportunity to work in this role, that is very important to me, and I also thanked Team UHDB for being the best team to be a part of."
With Rabi being awarded Clinician of the Year for 2025, it means that UHDB Dermatology consultants have won major honours from the British Association of Dermatologists in two consecutive years, following Dr Tanya Bleiker being recognised with the Sir Archibald Gray Medal in 2024 > - the highest accolade awarded by BAD.
While these prestigious accolades shine a light on the impact being made by the Dermatology team across our UHDB hospital sites, Rabi believes the development of the team - and the camaraderie they have within the department - is as much of a success.
"It's nice to put UHDB on the map of UK dermatology, it makes everyone happy and this is very much all about teamwork rather than one person's award. I'm very happy that we as a Trust have been recognised to get both awards in the space of two years, it shows how good the dermatology service is, it's such a good place to work. It's also one of the highest-ranking places to work in dermatology from the perspective of trainees, which is obviously fantastic - it means recruitment is not difficult, and we manage to grow our own as well," he added.
"We have a good team atmosphere, when we work at weekends we like to have lunch together, we do a yearly Dermatology team walk - it makes it almost like an extended family."
Aside from providing outstanding levels of care to patients and supporting the development of UHDB's Dermatology Registrars, Rabi also speaks with pride about his work helping veterans with skin cancers explore their eligibility for financial compensation.
He is also praised by colleagues within the department for his energy and enthusiasm, leading to the 'Duracell bunny of dermatology' nickname from those who nominated him.
And ultimately, it is the recognition of his peers and colleagues at UHDB that makes the award such a special moment.
"I think the greatest award is to be recognised by the people around you - that gives me a really great sense of being valued, and from my heart, even though these people are equally as hard-working, it feels very nice to be recognised by those that you've worked with for many years. I consider them more of a family than a group of colleagues," he said.
"This award is shared equally by the whole team, including the nurses, healthcare assistants, secretaries and administration team, all of whom work incredibly hard every single day to ensure we provide high quality care, and do so with a smile."