Celebrating our incredible staff 

Congratulations to the winners and finalists of this year’s Celebrating Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the extraordinary work of our staff and volunteers. 

Last week, some 390 staff attended a special dinner event at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel, funded by UCLH Charity, to celebrate to achievements of colleagues, representing a wide range of services – from clinical and research, to admin, security, domestics, and more.  

David Probert, UCLH chief executive, and Julia Neuberger, Chair, presented the awards to our winners, as well as reading the names of all this year’s finalists.  As usual, patients and their families contribute to the nominations of two of the awards – the ‘Living the Values’ and ‘Going the Extra Mile’ awards, for staff and volunteers respectively. We are extremely proud of our staff and their dedication to delivering the best care for our patients and your recognition through these nominations is greatly appreciated. 

Director of Workforce, Liz O’Hara, said: 

“Our Celebrating Excellence Awards is always a highlight of the UCLH calendar. It’s fantastic to get together to celebrate so many staff, recognising incredible work done right across the breadth of the organisation, in so many different roles and professions.” 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination for our staff and volunteers. If you have been treated or looked after by an exceptional member of staff, or a volunteer, we would love you to tell us about it. You can see a full list of this year’s winners below. 

Celebrating Excellence Award Winners 2023 

Nurse or midwife of the year | Liz Keenan, Nurse consultant – spasticity and neuro-disability 

Allied Health Professional / Pharmacist / Additional Professional Scientific Staff / Clinical Scientist / Additional Clinical Service of the Year  Sabina Kahn, Consultant head and neck radiotherapist / Dung Mai, Senior technician 

Junior doctor or dentist of the year | Ishaan Bhide, Radiology SPR 

Apprentice of the year | Gemma Wood, GI physiology quality and improvement lead / Kryssie Tyrtania, Arts apprentice 

Going the Extra Mile (volunteer award) | RLHIM self-care services volunteer team 

Outstanding administration support | Keya Prasad, Haematology ward administrator / Ross Deacon, Neurosurgery secretary 

Contribution to world class research | Nick Fox, Cath Mummery and the Dementia team 

Excellence in education | Critical Care education team / Ashleigh Shillingford, Practice educator 

Top quality patient care | Marian Gutierrez-Arnaiz, Head and neck senior support worker  

Contribution to Digital Transformation | Gerrie Coerzten, Communications manager, digital healthcare 

Outstanding ancillary and estates contribution | Enrika Katiliute, Soft services  

Unsung Hero | Nordene Davis, ODP operating departmental practitioner  

Outstanding sustainability | Anaesthetics and Climate Emergency (ACE) team 

Patient-nominated values | Carla Dos Santos Lima, Healthcare assistant  

Good Deed Feed | Claire Humphreys, Matron 

Teamwork – Living the Values | Patient booking team / Outreach ENT team / Elizabeth Gauci and Celine Anderson, EPRR managers  

Improving – Living the Values | Natasha Halford, Access and patient admin programme transformation / Julia Peart, Finance manager  

Safety – Living the Values | Andy Buckley, Senior nurse / Infant feeding team  

Kindness – Living the Values | Bouchaib Fennane (Mitie), A&E Porter / CYPCS haematology clinical nurse specialist team 

Chief Executive’s Award | Melissa Heightman, Post-COVID lead and respiratory physician  

Chair’s Award | Elizabeth Garrett Anderson maternity team