01/07/2024
The Pre-Operative Assessment Team have been announced as the latest winners of the We Are West Mission Cup Award. The Team received their award from Trust Chief Executive, Neil Guckian and Chair, Dr Tom Frawley at a presentation held this week.
The Pre-Operative Assessment Team are based at hospitals across the Trust: Altnagelvin Hospital, Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex and the South West Acute Hospital. They are small team of 18 staff comprised of specialist nurses and supported by administrative staff and nursing assistants. They prepare people for surgical procedures and aim to ensure the best outcomes for patients by minimising the chance of surgery cancellations and minimising the risk of complications.
The Mission Cup is an initiative recognising teams that epitomise and live by the Western Trust’s mission statement, ‘We Are West; Caring Together; Committed to Better’. It is part of the Trust’s wider staff recognition programme that aims to shine a light on the commitment, compassionate care and innovative practices demonstrated by effective Trust teams. The trophy is presented bi-monthly and is decided on by the current champions – in the spirit of peer to peer recognition. The Pre-Operative Assessment Team was nominated for the award by the previous winners and close colleagues, the Breast Care Nurse Specialist Team.
Speaking about the decision to recognise their worthy colleagues in Pre-Operative Assessment, Breast Care Nurse Specialist, Karen McAteer said:
“The Breast Team refers multiple patients per week to this team for pre-surgical assessment to ensure they are fit for surgery to organise any bloods or medication for the patient. They always see our patients promptly and ensure there is no delay on treatment, which is vital for breast cancer patients.
“The Team are able to ease a very stressful time in our patient’s life and are an integral part of their cancer journey. We are so grateful for the care and attention that they provide our patients and all the other patients under their care.”
Chair Dr Tom Frawley, Chief Executive, and Neil Guckian and formally presented the Cup. Congratulating the team, Neil said:
“You should be incredibly proud to receive the Mission Cup. Acknowledging a colleague or team for a job well done is a great way to boost staff morale and inspire continuous recognition across the Trust. It is clear to see the Breast Care Nurse Specialist Team really appreciate the work you do for Breast Cancer patients. I am here to extend my appreciation from the Corporate Management Team, from the other services you support in our hospitals and from the patients you care for.”
Speaking directly to the Pre-Operative Assessment Team, Director of Surgery, Paediatrics and Women’s Health, Mark Gillespie added:
“You help people who navigate very difficult journeys from a cancer perspective but you are now bringing good news to patients who have been waiting years on routine surgery, such as gallbladder. As the Trust rebuilds services, the Pre-Operative Assessment Team have been extremely flexible by managing patients at very short notice and making sure that we maximize capacity.
“The work that you havde done rebuilding your services after Covid19 has helped us significantly improve our elective position. We could not have achieved this without you.”
Accepting the We Are West Mission Cup on behalf of the wider team, Lesley Fields, Lead Nurse, said:
“I am delighted that the team have been recognised for their unwavering commitment to provide the best service possible to patients. They always do so in a caring and compassionate manner.
“Winning the Mission Cup is an acknowledgement of how much dedication the team put into preparing patients for surgery. There is a relatively small but impactful team at each hospital site, but we work together as one ensuring that the patient is always at the centre. I am privileged to lead such a dedicated team of nurses who demonstrate all HSC values and routinely go above and beyond ensuring that the patient has a seamless and safe journey.
“It means so much to have been nominated by our colleagues, The Breast Care Nurse Specialist Team.”