Nominate your hospital heroes – People First Recognition Awards 2024 | Latest news

Have you, a relative or a friend received great care at one of our hospitals?  

Members of the public are being invited to nominate a staff member, volunteer or team who have demonstrated high-quality care and compassion for our Public Award and Volunteer of the Year Award. 

New for 2024, our People First Recognition Awards provide the opportunity for any member of staff or volunteer at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) to be recognised and rewarded. 

The awards are your chance to say a big thank you to someone who has gone that extra mile for you or a loved one.   

Anthony May OBE DL, Chief Executive at NUH said: “Our Public and Volunteer of the Year Awards are really special, as they give the public the opportunity to nominate individuals or teams who have been truly outstanding in their role. This is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contribution of our colleagues and volunteers, our frontline teams and those working behind the scenes. 

“Both awards are important because nominations are received by members of the public, and the winner of the Public Award is chosen from the public nominations received. We are proud to serve our local and wider population, and want to provide this opportunity for the public to recognise when colleagues have done a good job.” 

Last year the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Team took home the Public Award for the constant excellent care they provide to patients. 

Clinical Nurse Specialist, Erica Littleworth said: “Winning the Public Award was such a morale boost to the MND Team.  

“Doing a job so full of sadness every day can be emotionally challenging; being recognised for our hard work was acknowledgement of everything we strive to do does indeed impact positively upon our patients’ journey.  

“Out of all of the NUH Awards we could have been nominated for, this one holds such meaning. To have our patients and their relatives taking time out of their incredibly difficult lives to nominate made this award so very special.” 

Steve Coulby was crowned Volunteer of the Year 2023 for his work on Nottingham Hospitals Radio. Steve said: “Winning the Volunteer of the Year award at NUH was probably the best thing I have ever won. Whilst I get an enormous amount of satisfaction from doing what I do, it is wonderful to know that it is appreciated by the patients and staff alike. The fact that very busy people took time out of their day to complete the nomination makes it that much more special. 

“Volunteers are there to help you and make the difficult and stressful times that little bit easier. It is such a wonderful part of human nature to give and help others. I am immensely proud to have been recognised.” 

Our awards are open for nominations all year round. 

All nominations will be collated for judging at the end of the summer, ahead of our annual awards ceremony held in the autumn.  

The public can nominate NUH staff - individuals or teams, for the Public Award, and NUH volunteers for the Volunteer of the Year Award. 

NUH has teamed up with the Nottingham Post who are pleased to sponsor this year’s Public Award and Nottingham City Transport, sponsors of this year's Volunteer of the Year Award.

Nottingham Post Editor Natalie Fahy said: "We've all been helped, or know a loved one who's been helped by an NHS hero. Perhaps you wanted to say thanks at the time but it got forgotten in the rush of leaving hospital, or you didn't know quite how to say it.

"I will never forget the midwives who brought my sons safely into the world at QMC - but I never got to say thank you at the time.

"This is the time to let those people know how grateful you were for what they've done and a small way to say thank you."

Visit our website to submit your nomination.