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Cavell Star for Nurse Helen after 40 years of dedicated NHS service
Colleagues from the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust gathered on 17 June to celebrate nurse Helen Whiting’s elHel40-year career, and present her with a prestigious award that recognises those who show exceptional care. Senior staff nurse Helen had no idea that she had been successfully nominated for a Cavell Star by her peers, who also took the opportunity to present her with a 40-year long service award.
Helen, 58, has worked in critical care at the West Suffolk Hospital for many years, and as well as staff from the current team, retired colleagues came along to share their congratulations. She had come in on her day off thinking she was going to present training, and instead heard just what she means to her team, and how much they appreciate all she does for her patients and their loved ones.
Cavell Star Awards are given to nurses, midwives, nursing associates and healthcare assistants who show exceptional care to one of three groups of people: their colleagues, their patients, and patients’ families. As well as the star plaque, Helen received a badge, letter, and a certificate marking her 40 years of NHS service.
Clinical team manager, Rachel Fenton, read out the citation the team had submitted to nominate Helen for the award. This highlighted her development of the patient profile form, which supports healthcare staff to get the personal information they need about patients to help provide more compassionate and person-centred care. Launched in critical care at the West Suffolk Hospital, it has now been adopted across the wards, and nationally recognised through the Intensive Care Society.
Before reading the citation, Rachel said: “We are here to celebrate a very special person, who has dedicated her whole career to the West Suffolk Hospital. We are so grateful she has decided to work in critical care.”
Helen, who lives in Roydon, near Diss, started at the hospital when she was just 17 years old. She said: “I am shocked to receive this award, but so pleased to have this recognition. It’s a hard job but we have a lovely team, and it’s all about patient care and doing the best we can as a team.”
The citation detailed Helen’s unwavering commitment to enhancing patients’ experience, and the hours of her own time she has given to implement the patient profile form. She plays an active role in listening to patients discharged from critical care, understanding their experiences and ensuring their voices are heard.
The citation concluded: “Helen is one of the kindest and most compassionate nurses you could ever hope to meet. Though quiet in nature, she brings an extraordinary strength and skill to her nursing practice that makes a profound impact. Every team would benefit from having someone like Helen, we simply feel incredibly fortunate to have her as part of ours.”
Executive chief nurse Sue Wilkinson said: “Helen is a true shining star, she delivers such high-quality personalised care to all her patients and has developed the patient profile form to support all our colleagues to provide care that is patient specific. She should be so very proud of all that she has achieved. Well done, Helen.”
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