Community Nursing Team Lift ‘Unmasked Heroes’ Award

A NURSING team in the region is celebrating after being presented an award as ‘lockdown heroes’.

The Rhins Community Nursing Team were thrilled to be named ‘Unmasked Heroes’ at the Awarding Wigtownshire event, after having been shortlisted to the final out of more than 500 nominees.

Rhins Community Nursing Team Charge Nurse Susanne Jamieson said: “We’re just totally overwhelmed by the result.

“It was such a privilege to have been nominated as finalists in this award category, but to be presented the award is just something else.

“It’s been a very challenging couple of years for the team, as it has been for everyone, and receipt of this award provides a real boost as we continue to work to provide treatment and care to our communities.

“I’d like to congratulate my colleagues, and express thanks to Awarding Wigtownshire and everyone who played a part in this – it’s simply terrific, and hugely appreciated.”

The Rhins Community Nursing Team provides nursing care for housebound patients across the entire community of the Rhins.

Based in Waverley Medical Centre in Stranraer, the team comprises a Senior Charge Nurse, two Charge Nurses, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Staff Nurses and Health Care Support Workers.

Suzanne Jamieson said: “Community Nursing has a vast range of referral criteria, from injections and post-surgery care to providing care and support for patients and their families who are approaching end of life.

“The team works closely with the local care homes, GP surgeries, the wider multidisciplinary team and the voluntary sector, to name but a few, with the aim of identifying needs and providing the patient and their families and Carers with a high standard of timely care in their own home or homely setting.

“Even prior to the pandemic, the team had its challenges in helping to meet the needs of the community. However, the arrival of COVID-19 obviously brought further challenges as we went out into people’s homes, taking the absolute fullest precautions in order to prevent transmission and maintain their safety – with this being the absolute priority.

“It has to be said that the team really rose to the challenge, as we adopted all the protocols such as use of PPE to limit chances of spread and were often seeing people who were experiencing COVID-19.

“The community response was also fantastic – so supportive of the work we were doing and understanding of the particular challenges we have been facing due to the coronavirus.

“It’s really terrific to be recognised in this way after the sheer hard work and stressful times this amazing team has gone through, but our thoughts are also with all of our colleagues across health and social care who have been working so hard to help everyone.”

Anne Allison is Lead Nurse for Community Health and Social Care.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted for the entire team, who are all truly deserving of this recognition.

“This award is a fantastic recognition of all their hard work. Even though the immediate threat to health from the pandemic has been diminished thanks to the vaccine programme, these nurses haven’t had a let-up, and continue to work extremely hard to ensure that people within our community continue to receive the care and support that they need.”