Regional award for end of life professional
Katie Yockney, practice educator in South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust’s end of life care team, recently picked up the palliative/end of life care gong in the regional Great British Care Awards 2016.
The awards are their 8th year and celebrate excellence across the social care sector. The ceremony, held on Friday 4 November 2016 at the Royal Armouries, Leeds, brought together all the finalists from across the Yorkshire and Humberside region after impressing the short listing panel with the nomination and wowing the judges at the regional interviews. The judges said that Katie showed a real passion and enthusiasm for the work she does. Her person-centred approach and getting to know the individual is clearly important to her which no doubt has a positive impact on the work she does and how those individuals feel. The palliative/end of life care award is given to the person who demonstrates how special and professional they have to be to be able to support someone who is at the end of life care.
The end of life care team is commissioned to work with all health and social care providers in Barnsley. The team leads and supports the development of high quality person-centred end of life care through improving care plans and practice, providing training and education for all health and social care staff and by ensuring those at the end of their lives receive the best care, wherever they are through supporting, sharing knowledge and empowering carers.
Katie was nominated by Christian Mason, manager at Thornhill House care home in Barnsley. He said: “Staff and management would like to thank Katie for her dedication and professionalism that she shows to our residents when it comes to end of life. Katie shows compassion and works very close with families and the GP to ensure that the resident’s best interest is key when it comes to end of life. My staff and I have learnt so much from Katie’s knowledge and embedded this into our service that has ensured that our resident’s lives are comfortable, pain free and keep their dignity to the end.”
Katie said: “I was delighted to find out that I had been nominated for this award and to win was absolutely amazing. It’s a real privilege to work alongside dedicated and compassionate staff as we care for those who are reaching the end of their lives whilst all the time supporting their families.”
Katie is now automatically entered into the national awards, the finals are to be held at the ICC Birmingham in March 2017.