Newcastle Hospitals has received two shortlists for the prestigious Nursing Times Awards, in the categories of critical and emergency care nursing and public health nursing.
With more than 750 submissions from trusts and healthcare providers across the UK, the impressive shortlists were gained by the respiratory team for their respiratory support unit sensory (RSU) equipment, and the school health 11-19 team, for their work to improve the emotional wellbeing support offered to teenagers.
Emma Alderson, senior sister on the respiratory support unit at the RVI, worked closely with the team to lead the sensory project, which was inspired by the needs of patients with a learning disability and/or autism.
Recognising how overstimulating the clinical environment can be for these people, Emma and the team developed an innovative approach to create a more inclusive and calming ward atmosphere, aimed at reducing distress and enhancing wellbeing.
Following a successful funding bid, Newcastle Hospitals Charity supported the purchase of a wide range of sensory equipment, including bubble tubes, jellyfish and lava lamps, galaxy projectors, white noise machines and humidifiers. These tools are designed to reduce distress and provide a more therapeutic environment for patients with sensory needs.
Since launching in September 2024, the impact has been remarkable.
Patients, families and staff have all reported significantly improved experiences on the ward, with the sensory adjustments making a meaningful difference to patient comfort and wellbeing.
Emma said: “Being shortlisted for something that started from the pure love and passion of the respiratory team is overwhelmingly exciting. The project has no agenda other than to create a better, more supportive hospital environment for our patients.
“It’s been a real multi-disciplinary team effort, and we’re incredibly proud to be recognised in this way. While we’ve seen great success on our ward, our hope is that this kind of initiative will be adopted more widely across the trust, so even more patients can benefit.”
The second shortlist came as a result of the impressive work from the school health team and their efforts to improve the emotional wellbeing support offered to teenagers.
Witnessing a stark increase in the number of young people with mental health needs, Gemma Stienlet, senior school nurse, and her team embarked on an ambitious service improvement project.
Working collaboratively with partner agencies, the team developed a standardised emotional wellbeing toolkit to support 11 to 19-year-olds in the region, with the aim of improving outcomes for young people experiencing distress.
A tailored mental health training package was developed for the school health team and routine questioning around self-harm and suicidal thoughts was implemented for every initial contact with a young person experiencing emotional distress.
Reacting to the shortlisting, Gemma commented: “It’s unbelievable and so exciting to be shortlisted, I feel like we’ve already won. It’s a really important issue and something we are very passionate about.
“While it can sometimes be hard to evidence the impact of public health initiatives, it’s great to know that everything we do is helping to contribute to positive health outcomes for young people.”
The awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday 22 October 2025, where the winners of each category will be announced.
