A south London nurse has been awarded this year’s prestigious Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust award in recognition of her outstanding work.
Ashley Payne, 27, a National Institute for Health and Care Research Nurse, was presented with a Next Generation Nightingale Nurse Award at St Thomas’ Hospital.
The award is unique to Guy’s and St Thomas’ and around 300 nurses have received it since 2017.
Payne said: “It is an honour, and I feel incredibly proud to have been presented with such a prestigious award.
“I’ve always had a desire to help and care for people in a meaningful way.
“It feels rewarding knowing that you are making a difference in someone’s life whilst doing a job that you enjoy.”
To receive the award, nurses and midwives provided evidence of their outstanding practice showing that they demonstrate the organisation’s values.
They were required to share supporting statements from managers and peers as well as submitting a reflective academic assignment at degree or masters level, marked and graded by King’s College London.
The award is named in honour of pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale who established her first nursing school at St Thomas’ Hospital in 1860.
In the past, nurses who trained at the Nightingale nursing school and worked at St Thomas’ Hospital for more than a year received a special blue badge and were known as Nightingales.
A pre-recorded message from Dame Judi Dench was played at the event and there was a speech by Professor Charlotte McArdle, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for NHS England.
The keynote speech was given by Rohit Sagoo, director of British Sikh nurses.
Professor Ruth Endacott, Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the NIHR, said: “I would like to congratulate Ashley on this outstanding achievement.
“Research nurses are key to developing new treatments for the benefit of everyone, and I am delighted to see Ashley recognised for her work.”
Featured image credit: National Institute for Health and Care Research
