National achievements

A nurse who "makes a difference every day" for children and their families at Royal Derby Hospital (RDH) - and is supporting colleagues around her to provide the best experience for every patient - has been recognised with a prestigious national nursing award.

Rebecca Woodcock, Sister on the Sunflower Ward in the Children's Hospital at RDH, was nominated by her colleagues for a Cavell Star Award in light of her dedication and commitment to making sure every child feels supported, listened to and valued at what can be a really challenging time for the children and their loved ones.

A UHDB dietitian who has supported toddlers and children following a life-changing diabetes diagnosis has reflected on how every patient she has worked with "has inspired me to be a better dietitian" after she received a national honour, recognising her significant impact on care for children with diabetes across our communities. 

Colleagues at UHDB and neighbouring Trust, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, have won a prestigious national award for jointly implementing the first phase of a new electronic patient record (EPR) system, which 12 months on, is bringing about real benefits for patients and clinical staff - supporting earlier diagnosis and treatment by helping teams quickly identify when patients are becoming unwell.

A staff nurse at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton has been recognised for her outstanding compassion and dedication after receiving a Cavell Star Award.

A team that has worked innovatively to reduce waste and run a more efficient service for patients receiving renal care at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton has been recognised in a prestigious awards ceremony. 

A UHDB Physiotherapist who set up a research trial to improve patient experience for people who have injured the tendons in their hand, has been named 'Hand Therapist of the Year' at a prestigious award ceremony and conference.

A Sister who is embodying University Hospital of Derby and Burton's (UHDB) value of compassion with her kind and personalised approach to care has been recognised with a prestigious Cavell Star Award.

Patients and visitors using the Macmillan Information Centre at Royal Derby Hospital have commended the "welcoming and friendly" environment, and the department "exceeding the level to retain" a quality standard called the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM) after an independent review in July 2025. 

Congratulations to the Parkinson's Rapid Advisory and Intervention Therapy Service (PRAIS) for winning the Deteriorating Patients and Rapid Response Initiative of the Year category at the 2025 HSJ Patient Safety Awards, in recognition of their incredible work to deliver high quality and safe care to vulnerable patients across our Trust and communities.

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).

A team whose quality improvement project has "enriched the lives of patients and staff" by helping reduce patient falls at Queen's Hospital Burton (QHB) have been recognised with a prestigious national Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Silver Award.

Congratulations to Professor Jaspal Taggar, a Non-Executive Director at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB), who has been awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list. 

Healthcare assistant (HCA) and valued mentor Tania Spencer has been presented with the prestigious Cavell Star Award, in recognition of her compassionate patient care and "empathic" support for colleagues. 

Congratulations to Dr Frances 'Fran' Game, Diabetologist and Clinical Director for Research and Development at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, for being internationally recognised with the 2025 Medstar Georgetown Distinguished Achievement Award in Diabetic Limb Salvage. 

Congratulations to UHDB colleague Dr Aklak Choudhury, who has been appointed Clinical Director for Improvement for the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

Sarah Gay, IT Security Team Leader at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB), has been recognised as one of the leading women in NHS cybersecurity – protecting patient data and keeping vital clinical systems safe – after winning the Women in Cyber Award, presented by the NHS Cyber Associates Network.

With many clinical systems and patient information now held digitally, cybersecurity is more important than ever to protect our patient's data, as well as support our hospitals to provide excellent care and operate effectively. Sarah has played an instrumental role in UHDB's robust cybersecurity, supporting clinical teams to have confidence in their access to safe data and digital systems - allowing them to provide better quality care for patients.

A mother of four now has the 'family she always dreamed of' thanks to lifesaving care from maternity and neonatal staff at Royal Derby Hospital who cared for her twice during two complicated pregnancies - resulting in the team receiving three national awards this week.

Kristen Duffy found out she was pregnant in 2021, aged 40. Kristen and her husband, Mark, already had two children but were delighted to have the opportunity to grow their family.

A collaborative team that was created to offer holistic care to patients with advanced chronic liver disease, has won a prestigious award. 

Dr Claire Grant, Consultant Hepatologist, created an Advanced Cirrhosis Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) which meets fortnightly to review referred patients who have advanced cirrhosis, a life-threatening condition that results from scarring of the liver.

Teams and colleagues from University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) have been shortlisted in three different categories at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards 2024, which recognise those who are exceeding standards in wellbeing, inclusion and development the nursing and midwifery workforce.

Two teams at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) have received national recognition for their innovation and approach to implementing improvements which have directly impact our patients and colleagues.

Both of the projects have been nominated in the Championing Continuous Improvement category of the Smarter Working Live Awards - part of their annual conference being held on Thursday 21 November at the Vox Conference Centre in Birmingham - with the work to embed continuous learning and improvement through the deployment of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), and the digitising of Essential Safety Guides (now known as eGuides) for nurses and healthcare support workers (HSCWs).

Pharmacists across UHDB are “proud to be keeping patients safe even after they leave our care” after being recognised at a national level for their work. The Medicines Optimisation team has worked collaboratively with digital services at the Trust and pharmacies across the region to develop an interface that improves communication with community pharmacies, to help patients have the right medication they need, with safety reviews, after leaving hospital.

Kath Hulkorey, Deputy Lead Nurse for Professional and Practice Development at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB), has been awarded the prestigious Cavell Star Award in recognition of her unwavering compassion, outstanding leadership, and dedication to nursing practice. In a heartwarming surprise ceremony, Garry Marsh, Executive Chief Nurse, and Stephen Posey, Chief Executive, joined colleagues to honour Kath's remarkable contributions. The event was planned by Barbara Day, former Head of Learning and Education on her final day at UHDB before retiring, who was Kath's line manager, along with Karen Hill, Lead Nurse for Professional Standards.

Congratulations to Dr Tanya Bleiker, dermatology consultant at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, for being honoured with the Sir Archibald Gray Medal, the highest accolade awarded by the British Association of Dermatology, for her dedication and ongoing service to British Dermatology

Congratulations to Professor Adam Gordon, Clinical Associate and Consultant Geriatrician at UHDB, who has been awarded an MBE for his services to older people's healthcare.

Members of the UHDB Carer's Network were joined by colleagues to celebrate the Trust being presented with the Carer Friendly Employer Quality Mark. The accreditation, which is recognised nationally by Carers UK, demonstrates UHDB's commitment to building a supportive and inclusive workplace for colleagues with caring responsibilities, while also using their lived experiences and expertise to continue to support caregivers or those who may need to provide care for a loved one in the future.

Congratulations to Fiona Lindop, a Specialist Physiotherapist at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital, who has been awarded an MBE for Services to Physiotherapy as part of His Majesty The King's New Year's Honours, in recognition of her tireless commitment and contributions to enhancing the lives of patients living with Parkinson's disease.

Teams at both University Hospitals of Derby and Burton's (UHDB) acute hospitals have been recognised nationally for providing the highest standards of care to patients when they are 'at their most vulnerable' as they undergo anaesthesia or sedation.

A University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) Specialist Physiotherapist has been awarded an MBE for Services to Physiotherapy as part of His Majesty The King's New Year's Honours in recognition of their tireless commitment and contributions to enhancing the lives of patients living with Parkinson's disease