Staff & Recruitment

Overall Winner – Royal Alexandra Hospital Stroke Multi-Disciplinary Team

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

RAH Stroke Multi-disciplinary Team

The Team led the stroke improvement work at RAH, aiming to facilitate timely patient access to Acute Stroke Unit, and implementing a thrombolysis service. This involved partnership working across the multi-disciplinary team, educating and training staff to transition wards into a hyper-acute stroke unit and stroke unit.

Early assessment, diagnosis and treatment significantly impacts outcomes for suspected stroke patients. The redesign enables improved performance, with patients reaching the unit and receiving necessary care quickly. In addition, the thrombolysis pathway means hyper-acute treatment can be provided at RAH, rather than transfer to QEUH.

The improvements present RAH as a modern stroke service, delivering to national stroke standards. Unscheduled care performance is also supported by ensuring quick and appropriate transfers from ED

Employee of the Year

Sharon McLauchlan, Housekeeper, Lomond Ward, Vale of Leven

Sharon has made a significant impact since commencing her employment with NHSGGC one year ago. Every day she has a positive ‘can do’ attitude, is extremely hard working and efficient. She has taken time to fully understand the importance of her role, promotes high standards in processes and procedures, and encourages others to do the same.

Sharon goes out of her way to make a difference to others and is an asset to the ward and wider hospital team. Her kindness is a joy to observe, with patients and relatives routinely commenting on the time she affords them, her bright attitude, caring behaviours and support.

Leader of the Year

Angela Thomson, Senior Charge Nurse, Ward 10, RAH

Angela she has demonstrated unparalleled leadership skills, particularly during the pandemic, and more recently through a period of unprecedented change.

She leads by example, undertaking any task in the interests of patient care. As an example, Angela went above and beyond to provide special support a patient who married while rehabilitating from an illness. This heart-warming story was reported in the local press and featured on STV News.

In addition to her commitment to high quality patient care, Angela always prioritises her staff before herself, including starting shifts early; finishing late; and even working on days off to ensure staff feel supported. This has resulted in excellent nursing staff recruitment and retention in Ward 10.

Innovation of the Year

Clyde Robotic Theatre Team

This innovative staffing model has seen in excess of 20 Theatre staff from across Clyde undergo specific training in robotic surgery to provide a new, minimally invasive service that is improving outcomes for colorectal cancer patients.

The service is provided by Clyde theatre staff on QEUH site, recently increasing delivery to 2 theatre days per week.

All staff involved, including lead nurses and educators, are commended for their commitment and enthusiasm in undertaking the training (often in their own time), and building strong, collaborative working relationships with QEUH colleagues to develop and launch the new service.

The team are key players in its success, their expertise and professionalism ensure this service continues to prioritise patient safety and improve cancer outcomes for Clyde patients.

Volunteer of the Year

Marie Phillips, AHP Rehab Support Volunteer; INSPIRE Volunteer

Marie has been an incredible support at the RAH and is popular with both staff and patients. She is unfailingly generous in her time and will offer to help out wherever needed.

Marie works with Orthopaedics AHP colleagues, supporting and encouraging patients with mobility and recovery exercises, or simply spending time listening, providing companionship and support, to help lift their mood and provide a welcome distraction to their time on the ward.

Marie is also a valued member of RAH INSPIRE team, creating a friendly and relaxed environment and supportive encouragement to participants.

Overall Winner – Thomas Cybulski – OPS

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

The Acute Medical Receiving Unit (AMRU) Housekeeping Team

Jackie and Simon consistently go above and beyond to support the wards and their colleagues. They show great pride in their work, they are fantastic team players who always go the extra mile to support the areas they cover. The epitomize teamwork and dedication and their unwavering commitment to maintaining cleanliness and hygiene ensures high-quality care for our patients. Their supportive approach fosters a positive work environment, promoting staff wellbeing and unity among colleagues. Their proactive efforts contribute significantly to departmental and directorate objectives, exemplifying excellence in their field.

Employee of the Year

Thomas Cybulski – OPS

Thomas Cybulski, fondly known as “Tommy” to his patients and colleagues, exemplifies the essence of exceptional patient care at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Despite facing his own health challenges, Tommy’s dedication knows no bounds. His unwavering commitment to serving the hospital with positivity and joy sets him apart. There is no job that Tommy will not assist with, nothing is a bother and he brightens brining positivity and joy to our days. Tommy’s selflessness shines through in his tireless efforts to brighten the lives of patients and their families, mostly notably seen each Christmas as he visits wards clad in festive attire to spread cheer among his patients, their families and colleagues. His actions, driven purely by a desire to enhance patient well-being, exemplify the spirit of compassionate caregiving. Tommy’s impact extends beyond his duties, making him a beacon of inspiration and an outstanding colleague.

Working together in a true team approach to administer the COVID booster vaccination to in-patients at 3 North Sector sites, this team ensured patients were vaccinated while in hospital in a timely, caring and compassionate manner reducing the risk of COVID infection. They responded quickly to urgent requests, and built up a strong rapport with staff and seamlessly meeting demand despite there own services being remobilised.

Having local staff run the program was beneficial for staff and patients, but it was the patient centred and teamwork nature of this team that made all the difference. Thank you team for your dedication to patient centred care and team working.

Leader of the Year

Janet Craig – GRI OPD

Janet Craig has shown exceptional leadership throughout this year, guiding her team with unwavering support and morale-boosting initiatives. Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary OPD team were displaced throughout the COVID pandemic to support inpatient areas and morale suffered as a result. Janet has diligently fostered team spirit through inventive activities, including staff lunches that have encouraged camaraderie and shared experiences. Furthermore, Janet’s commitment to community engagement was evident as she led her team in charitable endeavors, notably organizing a team-building walk and fundraising for local charities during the holiday season.

Janet’s leadership approach inspires and uplifts and has resulted in a return of services to pre-pandemic levels, while utilising staff to work differently in areas increasing the ability to provide diagnostic services in urology clinics and day

settings reducing inpatient demand. Her leadership has not only revitalized team morale but also significantly contributed to the community’s well-being.

Innovation of the Year

GRI Medicine WeCARE Junior Doctor Experience QI Group

Responding to junior doctors’ feedback at Glasgow Royal Infirmary for a desire for consistency and predictability during their time on the receiving wards, a Junior doctor led group, working in tandem with the consultant team have sought to improve ward rounds with structured pre and post-ward pauses. The group looked at ways to put in place a consistent approach to ward rounds to support junior doctors to plan their post ward round work and make it easier to take their breaks. This approach gave junior doctors an equal voice and input into planning and testing new ways of working. The group developed a structured approach to ward rounds in receiving which includes a pre and post ward pause which could be adopted in other areas of the hospital. This ensures consistency, predictability, and facilitates breaks. The collaborative approach empowers junior doctors, enhancing both efficiency and staff wellbeing and the model, epitomizes continuous improvement and contribute to quality care and staff wellbeing

Volunteer of the Year

Pain Management Patient Volunteers

The Pain Management volunteers have supported the pain service over many years. Despite living with, and managing, their own long-term pain conditions, this exceptional team has dedicated countless hours to enriching our pain service and community.

Their impact is profound, as they educate patients, carers, and HCPs on pain management. Through their lived experiences, they offer invaluable insights to our Pain Management Programme, inspiring hope and resilience.

Their commitment extends beyond individual struggles, actively shaping patient centred service delivery. Their selflessness and unwavering dedication exemplify the spirit of volunteerism, illuminating paths of empathy and support for our patients and their families.

Overall Winner – Ophthalmology Service

Team of the Year

Ophthalmology Service

The team consists of consultants, trainees, nursing staff, orthoptists, optometrists, ocularists, administrators, and clinical staff, led by Dr. Deepak Tejwani and Dr. Soma Chakrabarti, co-clinical directors.

The service has maintained high levels of patient activity (averaging . 1700 patients per week), successfully rolled out a national EPR programme, and is on track increase the number of cataract operations completed this year by 23%. The service has also identified and contacted 500 low-risk glaucoma patients suitable for transfer of care to the community as part of the national Community Glaucoma Service.

All this activity has led to reduced patient waits, resulting in positive patient feedback via care opinion, and this positive feedback enhances overall staff morale and wellbeing.

Employee of the Year

Jade Aitken

Jade, employed as a housekeeper, was extremely supportive in preparation work to open two winter wards (5c and Brownlie) at the GGH site to support winter capacity. Jade often worked independently to source the equipment required, report estate issues, and organise ward stock levels. Jade was instrumental in keeping the lead nurse and clinical services manager up to date with progress and also with issues that required escalation. Jade has done this over a period of weeks while also carrying out her own ward duties. Overall, Jade went above and beyond to support the opening of 45 additional winter beds at GGH.

Leader of the Year

Allan Dodds, Associate Chief AHP

Allan has been a fantastic support to his staff, both in the orthopaedic and major trauma AHP teams. Allan is a constant source of support and positivity, which has helped to create a warm and friendly working environment for all his staff. Allan has also been working in the role of associate chief AHP. In this role, he is a fantastic advocate for the occupational therapy and physiotherapy professions and has supported all AHP teams in the South Sector who deliver excellent patient care.

Innovation of the Year

Acute Medical AHP Team

Emily and Shane work on Level 5 at QEUH, which includes diabetes, endocrinology, general medicine, and infectious diseases wards. They regularly assess and treat patients with a wide variety of medical conditions and functional abilities. Due to the

challenging environment and large number of patients with vastly different needs, their focus became centred on improving patients’s access to physical activity and advice regarding exercising independently. Therefore, to support this, they developed the ‘Get Moving to Get Home ‘campaign. As well as developing a brand new video resource, they have used an innovative approach to digital technology to make new and existing resources available to all. These new resources have been shared beyond their own clinical area and will ultimately improve the patient experience.

Overall Winner – Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy. Led by Robin Sawyer, Head of Mechanical Engineering, Clinical Engineering and Radiotherapy Physics 

Overall Winner Nominees

Employee of the Year

Lisa Cairney, Radiographer  

Lisa is an extremely hard working and experienced Radiographer and an expert in the field of Cardiac CT scanning at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

These are complex scans which result in the need for extensive training. Having identified a need for training resources that included technical requirements together with how to produce a “gold -standard” scan, Lisa spent numerous hours in her own time creating an in-depth training guide featuring step by step procedures with sections covering anatomy, pathology, FAQs and troubleshooting.

The training guide is supplementary to Lisa offering one to one training for Radiographers and Radiology Registrars.

Team of the Year

Prostate Script Project Team. Led by Gavin Orchin, Pre-registration Clinical Scientist, Radiotherapy Physics

The Beatson Radiotherapy Department plan and deliver over one thousand prostate treatments each year, and a treatment plan is created for each patient tailored based on individual anatomy and optimised accordingly.

Creating these plans is time consuming and resource intensive, and a decision was taken by the team to create a Script to automate much of the manual processes.

This has improved staff experience by reducing the number of individual tasks staff are required to perform, improving efficiency by significantly reducing planning time by approximately 30 minutes per patient (leading to an annual saving of five hundred working hours).

The consistency provided by the script reduces the risk of manual errors and the time saving allows team members to further focus on patient safety and other key tasks.

Leader of the Year

Freya Johnson, Consultant Reporting Radiographer 

Freya has entirely changed the dynamic of the working relationship between Radiology doctors in training and the Reporting Radiography Team by taking on a large amount of training and supervision, both personally and with the support of the Reporting Radiography Team.

This has resulted in a much-improved training experience on trauma film reporting for new Radiology doctors, and with this change in the working relationship and enhanced collaboration, the number of images seen by Registrars has resulted in a significant increase together with development of a great team culture featuring much more inter-disciplinary collaboration. Freya’s attitude and work ethic continues to inspire all those around her.

Innovation of the Year

Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy. Led by Robin Sawyer, Head of Mechanical Engineering, Clinical Engineering and Radiotherapy Physics 

Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy (TSEBT) is the most effective single modality for treatment of Mycosis Fungoides (MF), which is the most common type of Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma. At the time of diagnosis, many patients have patch and plaque disease limited to the skin.

TSEBT involves irradiation to the entire skin surface and is often used at various stages of MF to alleviate symptoms. The Medical Devices Unit was asked to develop a medical device to enable the treatment of patients at the Beatson Cancer Centre as opposed to them having to travel to Newcastle.

The device was developed under an ISO 13485 Quality Management System and has made a significant improvement to patient care with patients often being treated two to four times per week over a period of weeks.

The Clinical Engineering Department designed the device which complied with all quality and radiation standards, taking account of patient dignity, well-being and care.

Volunteer of the Year

Joint Winners – Monica Dillon, Biomedical Scientist, Pathology and Kayleigh Quinn, Biomedical Scientist, Pathology, Laboratory Medicine

Monica Dillon and Kayleigh Quinn, both Biomedical Scientists within the Pathology Laboratory recognised that some staff had reduced well-being or were feeling lonely and isolated following the Covid pandemic and decided to organise various social activities including a monthly themed departmental quiz where all staff including medical and mortuary staff were invited.

Held on the first Friday of every month, the quiz enables staff regardless of their role to integrate better together, to practice teamworking skills and to support each other. Monica and Kayleigh fund drinks and prizes for the winning team and they also organise pizza.

As a result of friendships made, staff outings to karaoke (Pathoke) other groups have now formed, including the Board Game Club, a Staff Library and Craft Club. We are immensely proud of what Monica and Kayleigh have achieved for their colleagues, particularly as they give up a great deal of their own time to organise activities.

Overall Winner – Douglas Bell

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Community Support Team, Social Work, Children and Families  

The members of the Community Support Team have been working together to improve engagement and participation with the children and families involved with the service. A team leading great projects, such as food pantry and coats initiatives, delivered in a sensitive, thoughtful way which tackled potential stigma attached.  Continual improvement to service, tailoring approach to how they work with children and families. Welcoming, warm environment created to bring young people and their families into, creating a nurturing space for supporting families. A great example of team work and the outcomes that can be achieved when everyone works together with the same common shared goal and a commitment to service outcomes for their community.  

Employee of the Year

Lewis Crawford, Receptionist/Modern Apprentice, Woodlands Resource Centre

Lewis, a fairly new member to the team is the first person people meet when they arrive at our Outpatients clinics at Woodlands Centre, he has been integral to the team in terms of support to colleagues and patients.

Lewis responded well to a ‘sensitive situation’ (clarity required). Remains calm in potentially challenging situations, positive outlook with a good sense of humour, nothing is too much trouble. Delivers the full package which is outstanding so early in his career, excellent standard of work and ability to deal sensitively with patients.

Lewis is a very kind and caring person who has improved the patient and carer experience when they arrive at our centre. Being nominated is a testament to the quality of this staff member. 

Leader of the Year

James Hamilton , Speech and Language Therapist Adolescent In-Patient Unit, Specialist Children Services

James was described as skilled mentor and coach, leading the team to deliver a nation leading approach and bringing people with him in the unique nature of service delivery. James, as the only speech and language therapist (SLT) in the UK working in Eating Disorders has shown exceptional leadership and vision in advancing the role of speech and language. Building capacity within the team.

A family quote was shared showcasing the life changing work “I got my daughter back. I watched her suffer and it broke my heart. She was disappearing in front of my eyes. We are forever grateful that we could access SLT as the specialist knowledge linked to eating disorders was definitely needed for us.” 

Innovation of the Year

Douglas Bell, Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) Urgent and Unscheduled Care

Douglas, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) from the Primary Care Improvement Programme (PCIP) Advanced Nurse Practitioner team was nominated for his work on a service improvement initiative in order for ANP’s to carry emergency and first dose of medications for home visiting.  

Douglas had the vision to identify what needed to be changed and delivered this within a challenging context. This piece of work has gathered wider interest across NHSGGC, receiving national recognition and sharing of good practice. Aligns to HSCP strategic priorities to keep people within their own homes and remain there for as long as is safe and the ability to provide immediate treatment to vulnerable people to allow this to key to the reasons for Douglas being nominated and winning this award.  

Volunteer of the Year

Fiona McManus, Carer Representative for the The Public, Service User and Carer Representatives Group (PSUC)

Fiona, always make a positive contribution to user and carer groups. Throughout our time working alongside Fiona, we consistently witness her skill and effectiveness representing Carers, not only across East Dunbartonshire (ED), but Scotland Wide. During the pandemic, Fiona supported in the developed of short films to support others in a caring role.

Lead on promoting the power of attorney (POA) uptake across the East Dunbartonshire (ED) community, delivering on strategic priorities, supporting better outcomes for the population. In addition supports carers across ED at the ‘drop of a hat’, simply put we don’t know what we would do without her.  

Overall Winner – East Renfrewshire Pharmacy Team

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

East Renfrewshire HSCP Pharmacy team 

The East Renfrewshire HSCP Pharmacy team comprises of Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Support Workers who provide a patient centred, clinical Pharmacy service for patients living at home or in a care home within East Renfrewshire.  

They have scooped coveted “Team of the Year” award for their exceptional contributions in 2023. The team focused on delivering patient-centred, clinical pharmacy services, with over 2000 monthly pharmaceutical care interventions. Noteworthy achievements include the successful implementation of serial prescribing, prescribing antiviral medicines for high-risk COVID-positive patients, and delivering substantial efficiency savings. Despite facing challenges, their unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and optimising healthcare services secured the team this well-deserved recognition. 

Employee of the Year

Andrew Crumlish

Andy is an incredible support worker, colleague and human. 

He goes above and beyond to support the children and families he works with. He does everything from acting as a taxi, cleaning homes to make them safe, organising furniture to getting people involved in new activities. Andy builds trust and rapport with service users with such skill. He knows exactly what families need and formulates a plan with them. 

He is hands on and proactive which was evident with the summer programme he organised. He planned trips to Edinburgh Zoo, Heads of Ayr, the cinema and many more. He arranged the funding, transport, food and drink and invitations and helped some of our most vulnerable residents have a positive and unforgettable summer.  

Leader of the Year

Mark Sweeney 

Mark has been a social worker in Children’s Social Work for more than 12 years but in the winter of 2022 he was drafted into our Care at Home Service which was experiencing significant challenges due to high levels of absence, at both frontline and leadership levels.    
   
For six months he provided leadership and management cover for the service. He instantly won over the staff with his calm but firm approach.  

 
He managed complex complaints, worked evenings/weekends – even missing his favourite football team play and working over Christmas without being asked.   His leadership made a significant difference to staff and service users. 

Innovation of the Year

East Renfrewshire Medication Support Service 

This dynamic team of Pharmacy Technicians spearheaded changes that seamlessly integrated our Medication Support Service (MSS) with the Adult Support Protection (ASP) team. By proactively receiving and acting upon medication error referrals, they have been able to create a process for collaborative interventions, sparing GPs unnecessary involvement. This reduces risks for vulnerable adults and provides a better service.

Their dedication to patient safety and innovative practises, recognised by the Care inspectorate, sets our MSS apart. This award rightfully celebrates MSS’s pivotal role in advancing healthcare delivery, ensuring better outcomes and fostering an environment of continuous improvement. 

Overall Winner – The Development and Informatics and Business Intelligence Teams – Andy Hardy, Stewart Blair and Kim Bova – Development of the Day of Care Audit (DoCA) application

Overall Winner Nominees

Team Of The Year

Louise Gunson, Gillian Morris and Iain Gordon – eHealth Contracts and Procurement Team 

Since the transfer of mobile phone account management to the eHealth Contracts and Procurement Team, significant work has been carried out in relation to improvement of data capture, enhanced authorisation process for purchases and better reporting and analysis associated with monthly usage charges and management of contracts due to expire.  

This has resulted in enhanced processes associated with invoice payment and charging mechanisms as well as a reduction in recurring costs for eHealth and the wider Board. 

Employee Of The Year

Susan Cochrane – eHealth Business Intelligence  

In order to properly reflect and monitor activity and compliance, Susan led on analysis of Psychological Therapies recording and storage within EMIS, transformed and modelled data to take into account of the variance in clinical approaches and transformed the identified events to reflect the standardised timeline specified for the HEAT target using a series of programmes written to incorporate this transformation into the basis for National submissions and local decision support reporting.  On request this was further developed to reflect the complexities of multidisciplinary teams. 

This was essential for monitoring and responding to patient access targets and in addition provided the clinical management overview of service provision to respond to demands and examine service improvements. 

Innovation Of The Year

The Development and Informatics and Business Intelligence Teams – Andy Hardy, Stewart Blair and Kim Bova – Development of the Day of Care Audit (DoCA) application

The Development and Informatics and Business Intelligence teams worked together to transform the audit process for capturing and reporting on the clinical status of current inpatients. Previously this was a manual data collection process delivering results more than a week after the audit which reduced operational benefit of the process.

Introduction of the DoCA app meant an entire process could be captured across hospitals in the morning and reported in the afternoon with the development transforming the audit process and saving significant time for clinical staff. Furthermore, it improves data quality and provides the opportunity to use for operational discharge processes with Acute and HSCP staff.  Other Health Boards are now interested in implementing GGC’s innovative solution.  

Overall Winner – Jennifer Materne

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

The Patient Transport Service

This team is based out of Gartnavel Royal Hospital which responds to requests from wards and departments throughout the Board to move patients to and from hospital. All the drivers have received training to allow them to deal with all different patient groups.

This is not restricted to our Health Board geographical area but can be as far afield as Oban, Birmingham, Edinburgh or London. The service is involved in transportation of renal patients from GRI and Stobhill with QEUH patients provided this service from January 2024

Employee of the Year

Jennifer Materne

Jennifer played a pivotal role in the completion of the emergency refurbishment of works 36/37 at RAH and with her attention to detail and communication skills ensured that all down to the smallest details were delivered to the highest standards and due to her dedication to the project this was delivered back in time for winter bed pressures. This has provided a greatly improved environment for staff and patients. Jennifer goes above and beyond for her team and is an excellent ambassador for the Operational Estates Team

Leader of the Year

Thomas Mills

As well as his duties as an Assistant Head of Capital Project providing valuable management and oversight to a team of Senior Project Manager Thomas has developed an on line resources for the project delivery team. The PM Handbook is the first port of call for the project delivery and collates all the processes, procedures, templates and best practice information for the delivery of NHS projects. It can also be used as a training took for new members of staff within Capital Projects. The system is interactive and an evolving resource for the staff to use in their daily roles. This taken forward by Thomas on his own initiative and a sizable piece of work to complete.

Innovation of the Year

Zoia Maher

Zoia is a member of the admin team based at GRI. Zoia has been the driving force behind the digitisation work that has been undertaken across Facilities Services over the last 12 months.

Without her commitment to excellence much of the work would not have been delivered at the pace it was, with accuracy or in a user friendly layout developed for all the team to use. Her work has ensured that time consuming process using paperwork has now progressed using the technologies available to us. This work will continue to be used to improve systems across the sector to ensure that compliance and quality management processes are updated.

Overall Winner – Andrew Molloy

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Purchasing Team 

The Team have been nominated for the successful recycling and reuse of furniture and equipment, achieved through the teams dedication and by raising the profile for the recycling and reuse service resulting in cost savings of c1.2million (from 2017 to 2023), carbon savings, waste reduction and overall improvement of sustainability.   

The team have achieved ‘revolve’ accreditation which is awarded to 2^nd hand stores throughout Scotland for cleanliness, quality and safety standards.  This is due to the staff undertaking care in arranging the uplift, pre-check which includes upcycle (if required), cleaning and checking fit for use, uploading the details onto the portal for the end user visibility and delivery.   

The team also promote the recycling service and direct NHSGGC staff members to use the portal when receiving requests for furniture and equipment. 

Employee of the Year

Angela Gray 

Angela is always willing to go above and beyond what is expected of her role. She has in depth knowledge of the whole service and can be relied upon to provide help and support to the service and her fellow colleagues within Management Accounts.  

Her work ethic and easy going nature allows her to bring out the best in newer members of the Management Accounts team as well as service managers who are new to their role. She is a real team player, promoting health & wellbeing within the department by organising various keep fit activities (running group, keep fit class and yoga) as well as helping organise social events. 

Leader of the Year

Debby Skene 

Debby is the Head of Management Accounts for Acute. She has the respect of her team, her colleagues and seniors within Finance and beyond. 

She is continually trying to drive forward change in the department and is leading on the changes to the month end process. She takes her team with her, makes everyone feel involved and always tries to resolve issues. 

She has significantly improved the communication within her team and across all departments within Finance ensuring everyone is working collaboratively.  

She is a dedicated member of the finance team and is describe by her team as a breath of fresh air! 

She is a shining example to her staff and colleagues through her professionalism, positivity and can do attitude. 

Innovation of the Year

Andrew Molloy 

Andrew has consistently delivered technical solutions and processes to reflect a range of new pay and pensions legislation. This includes: 

• The NHSS wide solution for the 2023 AFC additionality payment, which was calculated for all NHSS employees via business intelligence reports he developed to meet the criteria 
• New pension control reports for multiple employments, aggregation of contribution tiers across all posts following the October 2023 pension changes, auto-enrolment eligibility across all posts, etc. 
• Development of a range of reports and calculations to support a variety of core business processes  

Andrew’s work has been pivotal for NHSGGC, and also the whole of NHSS, and his expertise has supported Payroll Teams across the country to deliver large scale requirements within exceptionally tight timescales. 

Overall Winner – Martha’s Mammies

Team of the Year

Martha’s Mammies

Martha’s Mammies is a service that supports birth mothers who have lost care of their children on either a temporary or permanent basis. Prior to the implementation of Martha’s Mammies, women who had lost the care of their children in Glasgow had limited specialist support to help them with the grief and loss that inevitably followed.

Martha’s Mammies is a multi­disciplinary team who work with small caseloads of women to be able to offer flexible, intensive, and adaptive support to respond to the needs of individual women. The team worked well together to make a difference in a short amount of time and have achieved incredible results. 

Employee of the Year

Thomas Higgins

Tommy has worked in children’s residential services for many years working in several of the children’s houses across Glasgow.

He has dedicated his working life to supporting some of our most vulnerable care experience young people. In his role as a Senior Residential Practitioner, he has helped young people to flourish and realise their potential and nurtured them with care, enabling some of them to better understand the trauma they have experienced.

Tommy gives 100% on every shift and always put the young person first and foremost in any interaction, no matter how difficult it would be.  

Leader of the Year

Rose Traynor

Rose is currently a Team leader for the Florence Street Community Mental Health Team. As a team leader she demonstrates outstanding leadership, encourages good practice, professional development, and a commitment to social work in mental health services. She will challenge and encourage colleagues to continue to learn and develop both professionally and individually making their working experience as good as it can be. During the past year there have been significant challenges within mental health social work services, Rose has continued to support and motivate her team to achieve positive outcomes for those they support. 

Innovation of the Year

Chalk the Walk 

For World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September 2023, the North East Health Improvement Children and Young Peoples Team asked local youth providers to take part in an event, “Chalk the Walk”, to help shine the light on suicide prevention. Working with Health Improvement teams, local youth organisations encouraged young people to use chalk, to beautify their community, with images and messages of hope, resilience, suicide awareness and prevention.

The youth organisations then posted pictures of their artwork on social media and the team allocated prizes for most creative, most colourful and most inspirational messages. Chalk the Walk was an innovative event that has made a significant different to local youth organisations, young people and their communities. 

Volunteer of the Year

Sarah Donnelly and Sara Delaney

Both Sarah and Sara are lived experience volunteer mentors who support the work being done within Tomorrow’s Women Glasgow and Martha’s Mammies.

Since starting their volunteering, they have transformed the team through their experiences. They are highly motivated and give up their time to attend various groupwork activities and support the delivery of the programme and identify women who may require additional 1­to­1 support. In the past year, they helped establish a Recovery Café in Maryhill.

This café supports women in custody to ensure they are supported to maintain a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle that helps to prevent reoffending behaviour. The women attending consistently express their gratitude for both volunteers and the support they receive.  

Overall Winner – Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) Reception Team 

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) Reception Team 

The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) Reception Team, QEUH Campus are nominated in the category of Team of the Year in recognition of their contribution to the return of the TLC back to its original purpose as a joint teaching and learning facility for NHSGGC and University of Glasgow. This followed on from a period during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Centre was requisitioned as a national testing laboratory and was closed to teaching and learning to provide this service for the duration of the pandemic. The team continued to work together throughout this period providing a physical frontline support to staff and contractors.

Employee of the Year

Krizia Mazzoni, Assistant HR Advisor, Cluster 1, HRSAU

Krizia goes above and beyond her role as Assistant HR Advisor in the support she provides to managers for attendance management. Krizia has been fundamental to the coaching and training provided to managers in Clyde Sector and continues to offer support at absence focus groups.

Leader of the Year

Steven Reid, Mental Health and Substance Nurse Lead 

Steven Reid started in Occupational Health as a full-time employee in 2016, following his background career as a mental health and addictions nurse. His original role was as OH alcohol and substance nurse from 2012, he was then asked to take over the management and development of the workforce Counselling service. This service was responsive through the pandemic and evolved to be part of the wider provision of psychological services for our workforce and is a core part of our Staff Health Strategy. 

Innovation of the Year – Joint Winners

Andrew Clark

Andrew developed and refined the Business Intelligence dashboard for the SHaW Task Calendar. This included building specific filterable data pages alongside the Sector / Directorate / HSCP summary pages that feature in the SHaW Storyboards. 

Paul Cogan

Paul leads on the Success Register Workstream of the NHSGGC Culture Strategy for the Organisational Development team. The NHSGGC Acute and Corporate Organisational Development team took on the challenge of establishing a platform for over 41,000 colleagues to share success stories, nominate instances of excellence, and highlight innovative practices. In response, Paul Cogan undertook the project lead role for the Success Register for the Team. 

Volunteer of the Year

One HR Team 

The One HR project team brings together teams from across the HR&OD Directorate to create a sense of one team, with a unified purpose, of enabling a skilled, engaged and healthy workforce across NHSGGC that is valued, supported and empowered. The OneHR group will support this by sharing best practice, adopting shared ways of working and creating opportunities for our teams to mix, socialise and get to know each other. 

HR and Organisational Development – Director’s Award

Claire Robertson

Since joining NHSGGC in 2020 from South Africa, Claire has done an amazing job in cultivating a high profile and confidence with the Directors, SMTs and wider teams in the areas that she supports.  Her instrumental role in supporting and progressing success for NHSGGC Clusters in the Investors in People Award is recognised with this Director’s Award.

Overall Winner – Aileen Wilson

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Strategic Commissioning Team 

The strategic commissioning team support the HSCP with commissioning, governance and contract monitoring of services with external providers. The HSCP commissions approximately 175 services with external third sector and private providers covering a huge range of areas. 

The team work hard to evidence the need for commissioned services and manage the procurement for the service – they work to tight timescales and must be adaptable to the changing landscape of health and social care. 

The team demonstrate excellent management and communication skills to work with commissioned services to ensure targets are met to benefit people in Inverclyde receiving care. The teams workload reflects the huge range of services Inverclyde HSCP delivers. 

Employee of the Year

Heather Millar

Heather has worked with HSCP for around 20 years within learning disability day operation services in a support worker role. 

Heather has been pivotal in the setting up and delivery of the HSCP Autism Pilot Service to meet the needs of young Autistic people. She works tirelessly to support vulnerable young people and is a fierce advocate for their wellbeing.   

Heather built up relationships with young people over a long period of time and in some cases helped give them the confidence to leave the house; one young person she supports who struggled to leave the house has now passed their driving test and attends college. 

Heather is described as self-effacing, unassuming, genuine, funny, warm, and a joy to work with. 

Leader of the Year

Aileen Wilson

Aileen manages 3 children’s houses which include a large staff team. 

Aileen is dedicated and committed to providing a high standard for care and her values are rooted in compassion and the rights of children. 

Many of her colleagues describe her as being a great problem solver who finds solutions to many difficult situations which arise at short notice. 

Aileen is committed to working to the strengths of her staff she is a great communicator and listener. Aileen has developed a culture of trust whereby our children’s voices are listened to by staff and their views are taken seriously. 

Innovation of the Year

Neil Cree & Asylum Health Community Team

Neil Cree and the Asylum Health Community Team were unexpectedly tasked with accommodating 70 refugees. At very short notice, the team had to create procedures and referral pathways to assess the health of the refugees and link them to wellbeing support in Inverclyde. They had no additional funding and faced many challenges. 

This team has went beyond expectations and are now supporting other HSCPs and Health Boards to develop services similar to what we now have in place within Inverclyde. The team work closely with outside partners to deliver exceptional services, and by having this team in place we have reduced a lot of strain on other partners. 

Volunteer of the Year

Veronica Rasmussen

Alongside her role in the Homelessness Centre, Veronica has recently gained a first-class honours degree in psychology and also the COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills. 

Then on top of this, Veronica volunteers in a range of roles to support the most vulnerable people in our communities including: volunteer with Talk On Ladies (part of the Man On! Charity in Inverclyde); Committee Vice Chair Oak Tree Housing Association; Children’s Panel Member; Unison Workplace Steward. Veronica is described by her colleagues as inspirational, selfless and goes above and beyond whilst working tirelessly in her role. 

Overall Winner – Michelle Stevenson

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Northeast Health and Social Care Partnership, Parkhead Cluster Pharmacy Team

Since recruiting a full complement of technical support in 2023 our fantastic technicians, Pharmacy Support Workers and Pre Registration Pharmacy Technicians are now delivering a medication reconciliation service for all immediate discharge letters and outpatient letters with medication changes consistently 5 days per week throughout the year and we are the only cluster doing so within the HSCP.

Our pharmacy technicians have been able to maintain this excellent standard of work with minimal pharmacist input for queries. In addition, we have even been able to provide cross cluster cover to maintain the services provided by other cluster within the HSCP during absence.

Employee of the Year

Susan Donnelly

Susan is often the first person that people contacting the prescribing team or the wider Clarkston Court Pharmacy Team come into contact with. Her years of experience working in a GP practice mean that she is equally comfortable talking to patients as she is to senior managers and directors.

Her many years with the prescribing team means that she has a comprehensive knowledge of all staff and all aspects of the business management for the team.

She is unfailingly helpful, reliable, knowledgeable and efficient. She cares deeply about the welfare of people in the team and their development. She displays many fine leadership behaviours and is instrumental in keeping the administration team a cohesive, happy and effective service.

Leader of the Year

Michelle Stevenson

Michelle is a unique person who is distinguished by her extraordinary capacity for inspiring others and her superb interpersonal abilities. She naturally builds great relationships with co-workers, managers, and subordinates due to her charming and personable manner. Because of her sincere interest in people, Michelle is able to identify their wants and worries, fostering a supportive and cooperative work atmosphere. 

Michelle is an amazing motivator who can motivate and inspire her peers to realize their own potential. She gives everyone around her confidence and enthusiasm, whether it’s by setting an example, offering helpful feedback, or encouraging words. Michelle’s ability to inspire others goes beyond personal success; it has a favorable effect on the atmosphere of the entire organization.

Innovation of the Year

Surgical Team, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

This team comprising pharmacists and pharmacy technicians has worked together to change the way in which we deliver services to patients undergoing surgery within GGC to support surgical remobilisation.

Changes include development of a pharmacy referral system, review of systems for patient triage and development of the pharmacist’s role in the arthroplasty and perioperative clinics.

This team worked together, changing the traditional service, trying small tests of change and working differently including developing the patient facing role of pharmacy technicians as well as developing their advanced practice.

Director of Pharmacy Award

Manpreet Narwan

Mani highlighted that we only recognised Christian holidays when we wished the community pharmacy network well via the local communications.

Mani worked with the Board’s Equalities Team to identify the most relevant religious holidays taking into consideration the demographics of the pharmacy workforce.  She then worked with the Board’s Interpreting Team to devise a form of congratulations and best wishes for the main holidays.

Mani has pro-actively taken responsibility for developing the Community Pharmacy Development Team’s profile amongst the community pharmacy network.  She has drafted documents developing the Team’s Mission and Vision and is currently working on how we can develop our communications strategy to better explain how the Team can support the network.

Overall Winner – Community Food Teams

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Travel Health Contingency Team

In June 2023 the provider to all of GGC except Glasgow Northwest, notified NHS GGC of its intention to withdraw from it’s contract to provide travel health risk assessments and vaccinations by end of September.

However due to staffing and other core service delivery issues this service was in effect withdrawn in August.

Despite this short notice withdrawal, a Contingency Service was in place within a week. To pull together the logistics of a new service at such speed is a testament to the dedication, professionalism and sense of duty of all those involved.

Without the actions of the team, the population of GGC would have been without a free-at-the-point-of-access travel service and risking a widening of travel-associated health inequalities.

Employee of the Year

Kary O’Brien, Health Protection Nurse Specialist

We have a great team of HPNS, all of whom deliver their daily health protection work with incredible empathy.

Even amongst such a great team, Kary quietly and without any fuss, stands out in the kindness and warmth that she brings to all of her interactions, be it with cases and contacts or with her colleagues. Without exception, she is very much liked and respected by absolutely everyone. Kary is warm, funny and with a unique insight into other people’s emotions.

Leader of the Year

Dr Iain Kennedy, Acting Head of Health Protection

Dr Kennedy has provided calm leadership of the Public Health Protection Unit team over the last year during something of a post-Covid transition period, with challenges and changes for the team including an increase in working pressures and staff changes within the team.

Iain has always shown good leadership and been calm and approachable, and is very willing to share his expert knowledge with the team, encouraging skills development in staff members. Alongside the day job of leading acute health protection responses and managing his consultant portfolio he has also done a great job of identifying areas for team development and encouraged initiatives aimed at team wellbeing including some informal team building activities.

Innovation of the Year

Cost of Living Mitigation Programme

The team work across acute settings and have developed a range of innovative approaches in response to cost of living pressures impacting on Patients and Carers attending NHSGGC Hospitals.

The package of support includes access to a menu of immediate cash first & practical responses such as Maternity Emergency Grant (MEG); Crisis Home energy service and the Emergency Food on discharge service which have collectively support approx. 2000 of our most disadvantaged patients over the last year. They also meet challenges facing our staff with a comprehensive package of emergency response to support food, fuel and money was introduced to support the wellbeing

of NHSGGC Staff. The NHSGGC Staff Hardship Grant has supported almost 500 staff through a grant secured from endowment funds.

Volunteers of the Year

Community Food Teams

The Community Food Team works to address barriers to healthy eating, weight management and food insecurity through the development of local community-based support networks which aim to increase availability, affordability and accessibility of healthy food and provide support to increase food literacy and practical cookery skills within communities. We recognises the multitude of volunteers who collectively support the delivery of the programme within the many community health projects who are critical partners in the GGC Community Food Network.

The programme builds capacity at a local level and supports a network of volunteers to train as community chefs and deliver practical cooking sessions to communities. Volunteers are supported to gain skills not only in cookery, but also in food hygiene and health and safety that supports wider employability outcomes longer term.

Overall Winner – Graeme Crockett

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

The STAR team

STAR is a specialist service that focuses on the successful integration of offenders into society, emphasising their role as productive members of the community. The STAR team focuses on reducing risk of violence in the community and improving mental health outcomes for patients with complex presentations. The treatment works towards positive outcomes in terms of helping patients to make prosocial choices rather than engaging in offending behaviour, improving mental health of service users, and enhancing their overall well-being. STAR also reflects a commitment to treating service users with dignity and respect. The Team approaches the service to ensure that there is balance between public safety and the well-being of offenders

Employee of the Year

Graeme Crockett

Graeme has gone above and beyond for the second year in a row in his efforts to boost the successful recruitment of band 5 nurses for Forensic Mental Health. He has volunteered for every recruitment event and has been filmed as the Regional Services representative for GGC recruitment video as well as a Forensic specific recruitment video.

The service has one of the highest band 5 vacancy rates which has a significant impact on the delivery of safe and effective patient care and increases the strain on our current staff group. He has helped raise the profile of the service and bring in new staff to join our teams. From an organisational perspective increased staff has helped boost morale and in turn has a positive effect on sickness absence rates as well as helped reduce additional spend attributed to vacancies.

Leader of the Year

Diane Wright

Diane is the Lead Nurse for Renal Dialysis Units at a time of acute challenges with insufficient haemodialysis spaces to meet demand. Diane has led her team to complete a comprehensive review of capacity across the service. Through service redesign, she introduced twilight services increasing capacity. Diane has developed the team to review and promote home therapies, increasing care options for this group of patients.

Innovation of the Year

Haematology Ambulatory Care Service

A project team was identified which included the appointment of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and a Nurse Practitioner, who were supported by the Lead Nurse, Pharmacists, Estates and Consultant Haematologists to take forward. This project was completed in August 2023 and is now fully operational with patients having their treatment as a day case as opposed to having to stay as an inpatient.

A non-clinical space within level 4 at the BWoSCC was identified and an area created for a 4 chair space ambulatory care service with 2 nurse assessment rooms. This new service has allowed more patients to be treated at home in line with our SACT Strategy and patient feedback has been very positive.

Volunteer of the Year

Lesley Ong

Lesley maintains the NRU garden voluntarily. She works in NRU as a nurse but comes in on her days off to tend to the garden. This garden makes a real positive impact on the morale of NRU patients and staff. Having this area maintained regularly means it is always welcoming and creates a positive outdoor experience for patients and families. Lesley involves the

patients where possible with planting, weeding and watering. These functional tasks are excellent rehabilitation for patients.

Overall Winner – Delayed Discharge Team

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

RAH Ward 37 – Multidisciplinary Team 

This group of staff are the epitomy of a gold standard team. 

In June 2023, Legionella was discovered in the water supply for Ward 37. To keep patients and staff safe and to replace parts of the water system, the ward was decanted to Munro Ward in Stobhill Hospital.  

The team pulled together to transfer all of the patients and equipment safely and with minimal disruption within a very short period of time. The staff had to make a 30 minute trip, twice a day, to get to and from Munro Ward.  

Due to multiple factors the works took five months to complete. 

Through all of this, the staff put the patients and relatives first. Ensuring that the high standards of care that were provided in Ward 37 were replicated. 

Employee of the Year

Jennifer Phillips, Community Learning Disability Nurse 

Jennifer always goes above and beyond to ensure her patients are well cared for and have their every need met. An example, of the work Jennifer regularly does which demonstrates her dedication:  

One of Jennifer’s patients was bed bound and required support for all moving and handling. Due to this, she had been unable to have a cuddle in bed with her husband for a long time and this was of huge importance to her. Jennifer managed to work out a way that she could make this happen, although this was not a routine task for a CLDN. This meant so much to both of these individuals and led to an immediate improvement in their mood and wellbeing. 

Leader of the Year

Yvonne Du Pon, Team Leader, ‘Doing Well’ Community Mental Health 

Yvonne is an inspirational leader, dedicated to her staff and patients. Yvonne worked endlessly to identify key areas that required improvement within the ‘Doing Well’ service. 

By working with staff to support them to rectify issues and support changes, long waiting times were dramatically reduced. Yvonne has manged to achieve their assessment to treatment target and there is currently no waiting list for patients starting treatment.   

Without this support and clear direction and guidance the goals and achievements today would not have been possible. 

Yvonne’s character is a testament to her hard work and dedication, which has ensured the success of the teams that she directly manages. 

Innovation of the Year

Care Home Nursing Support Team 

A collaborative approach to prevent unnecessary admissions to hospitals from Care Homes in Renfrewshire. Established in 2020, the Care Home Nursing Support Team has developed and grown into a team of nursing professionals who provide support to residents, families and staff in care homes.  

Comprising advanced practitioners, care home liaison nurses and practice development nurse who can respond quickly and visit people in care homes requiring urgent unscheduled assessments.  

Taking both a preventative and reactive approach have been key in supporting better outcomes for care home residents.  

The team provides service across all 23 care homes in Renfrewshire and two on the Inverclyde border.  

In the last year they have provided direct assessment to 772 care home residents resulting in 3048 consultations from which only 8% needed referral to acute services. 

Community Involvement

CAHSC Project – James McGuire  

As part of his Culture and Arts Co-ordinator role, James developed and administered two small grants funding pots for local community groups and partners, including Renfrewshire Council, our HSCP and OneRen, to increase opportunities for local people living with the impact of inequalities to take part in arts and cultural activities.  

James has also established excellent working relationships with a wide range of partners, particularly within the Community Wellbeing Network that he created and is managing alongside Engage Renfrewshire. This Network has brought together over 150 people from community groups, third sector organisations, arts practitioners, statutory organisations and the private sector to enhance wellbeing through developing understanding, appreciation and innovative partnerships. 

James is a real asset to the HSCP and has made a difference to the lives of many people. 

Best Supporting Role

Megan Achara, Community Treatment Room, Nurse Co-ordinator  

Megan she has been inspirational in the development of the new community treatment and care service. She is a great support to each staff member, together with her team lead, they coordinate the day to day running of 14 treatment rooms and 130 GP phlebotomy clinics per week. 

Working closely with a range of clinical professionals, Megan will always go the extra mile to help as well as any of the treatment room nurses with clinical patient queries.  

Megan’s phone is always ringing and is always visiting clinics and giving advice to patients and staff. Megan is always smiling and keeping her team afloat. She is a real people’s person, has an eye for detail and her positivity is a breath of fresh air and is dearly appreciated by everyone she works with.  

Improving Our Workplace

Laura Docherty, Business Support Manager 

Laura has made significant improvements to how her team within admin and business support function.  

Over the past year Laura has been instrumental in supporting, participating and implementing the findings of an admin and business support review.  

Introducing training opportunities for her team, acting on the development needs of staff and improving overall morale. 

Laura has focused on the importance of maintaining a positive team ethos and culture, as evidenced in the team’s iMatter results, which are consistently improving.  

Laura is solution focused and always delivers on any ask of her or her team no matter how complex or time constrained.   

Laura is always calm and level headed and that shines through in the way the team work – it is a real testament to her strength as a leader. 

Chief Officer Award

Delayed Discharge Team  

The team work closely with acute colleagues, ensuring that every person who requires support from our community services, upon discharge from hospital, receive the right support, without delay. 

The team pride themselves in working closely with the person and their family to ensure that the wishes and expectations of all concerned are at the centre of their planning and that they are treated with care and compassion. 

They have adopted a ‘one-team’ approach across all our community support services, including our external providers to ensure that that person is a priority for the whole service. 

Since its establishment, the team has shown commitment, motivation and an immense sense of pride in their performance, which has made Renfrewshire the highest performing HSCP in Scotland for Acute standard delays in the period April – September 2023.  

Overall Winner – Morven Cowie, Senior Charge Nurse, Older People’s Wards, Vale of Leven Hospital

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

HSCP Finance Team 

The Finance Team is one of the “unsung heroes” who regularly demonstrate outstanding leadership during very difficult times.  They are inspirational and continuously enable West Dunbartonshire HSCP achieve important outcomes. 

The impact of their work reaches across all functions within the organisation, delivering expert guidance and structure every day with professionalism, patience and integrity.  They willingly share learning and experience, ensuring that there is always partnership working. 

Often going above and beyond the call of duty, especially during periods of significant pressure, this Team fully meets the criteria for this Award by “epitomising our values and continually demonstrating positive behaviours”. 

Employee of the Year

Laura Goodwin, Policy Assistant 

Laura has the unenviable task of dealing with the complaints and enquiries received by West Dunbartonshire HSCP.  

But her diligence, attention to detail, professionalism and gentle persistence, has been acknowledged by her colleagues, as well as her desire to make a positive difference in all that she does. 

Laura is generous with her time, supporting colleagues and managers with helpful guidance and information.  She is forward thinking, highly organised, and willingly shares her knowledge with others.  She has shown initiative by developing systems to provide greater clarity so that our services are aligned with Complaints Regulations.   

And all this she does with a ready smile and the “patience of a saint”! 

Leader of the Year

Morven Cowie, Senior Charge Nurse, Older People’s Wards, Vale of Leven Hospital

Morven has been described as an “exceptional and outstanding” leader by her colleagues.  

Added to this, a recent Care Inspectorate Report cited the stability of the staff team to be a “testament to her leadership”, and families also praised her proactive approach. 

Morven has worked with patients at the Vale of Leven Hospital for the last 28 years, and her dedication and commitment has not diminished.  

Staff enjoy coming to work, and this is reflected in the care provided to patients and their families.  Regardless of what challenges come her way, she overcomes them with a positive attitude, acting as a role model to her Team at all times. 

Innovation of the Year

West Dunbartonshire Alcohol & Drug Recovery Service – Harm Reduction Mobile Unit 

This unique service became operational in August 2022.  It seeks to provide care, treatment and support to the most vulnerable people in West Dunbartonshire. 

The Mobile Unit is staffed by a group of experienced Practitioners from Addiction Services who, in addition to their day jobs, visit a different location every evening.  By removing barriers and building up trust, those in need can access treatment and support beyond normal clinic hours. 

The Harm Reduction Mobile Unit does more than provide a service – it offers a lifeline to people who might otherwise not engage in traditional healthcare pathways, and gives them the chance to maintain a level of stability in their lives and the lives of their families. 

Volunteer of the Year

Becky Dunphy, Advanced Practice Physiotherapist in Primary Care

Becky is described by her colleagues as a very caring, compassionate individual who is extremely passionate about access to healthcare for all, regardless of background or circumstances. 

In addition to her Physiotherapist role, Becky volunteers as a Lead Champion of Global Citizenship within NHSGG&C, promoting and facilitating global health work throughout the organisation.   

She undertakes charitable work with the Dalitso Project, a charity seeking to improve healthcare in Malawi, and regularly travels there to undertake essential ground work to support ongoing projects, as well as supporting fundraising activities and events.   

Becky is passionate about “making a difference and her motivation and enthusiasm is an inspiration to others. 

Overall Winner – Nelly Delwani 

Overall Winner Nominees

Team of the Year

Orthopaedic Trauma Liaison Nurses  

The Orthopaedic Trauma Liaison Nurses have been awarded Team of the Year for their exceptional contributions to Orthopaedic care delivered to our patients and families. Serving as a central communication hub, they streamline processes, educate patients, and gather vital data for continuous service improvement. They facilitate smooth transitions, ensuring effective follow-up plans and supporting all staff during emergencies. Introducing innovative practices like virtual fracture clinics and trauma databases, they’ve significantly enhanced patient care and research capabilities. Their dedication to patient satisfaction is evident, with informal feedback praising their personalised approach. Operating as the first of its kind within paediatrics in Scotland, their impact within just 18 months is remarkable. Through teamwork, compassion, and unwavering responsibility, they’ve set a standard of excellence in patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

Employee of the Year

Katie Cameron

Katie has been honoured for her outstanding dedication and support to all staff at the RAH. Katie always goes above and beyond, for example; transforming the on-call room into a sanctuary for staff and organizing morale-boosting social events. Additionally, she initiated fundraising efforts to aid colleagues facing adversity. As an exceptional midwife and leader, Katie excels in diverse situations, from supporting lower risk midwifery led births to the most complex clinical scenarios. Her mentorship and support uplift her peers, reflecting her humility, competence, and proactive attitude. Katie is an exceptional midwife, leader, fund raiser and problem solver.  With a steadfast focus on women’s well-being, Katie’s unwavering commitment to her colleagues and the community makes her a deserving recipient of this award. 

Leader of the Year

Janice Heggie

Janice has been awarded for her exceptional contributions as a lead nurse, driven by her compassionate and caring nature. Every day, she positively impacts lives, embodying professionalism while nurturing and empowering her colleagues with her extensive expertise. Janice’s dedication to patient well-being is unwavering, putting their needs first and foremost. She serves as an inspiration, offering unwavering support to everyone she encounters. Janice’s genuine compassion shines through in her interactions, making her a truly remarkable leader. Her kindness and empathy set her apart, making her truly deserving of recognition for her natural leadership and outstanding commitment to care. 

Innovation of the Year

Best Start AMU Project  

The Best Start Alongside Midwife Unit (AMU) Project focuses on implementing a key recommendation from the Scottish Government’s Best start review: a full range of choice of place of birth for all women wherever they live. Women right across GGC now have the full range of choices about where to give birth: whether that is in a high risk labour ward, at home or in a homely alongside midwife unit.  

Project midwives, Karen and Nicola, have co-produced with women and staff and have been innovative in their holistic approach to change – including developing bespoke training, clinical support in providing care in this setting, refurbishing rooms, installing equipment and developing new guidelines with obstetric colleagues.   

Positive feedback from staff and women underscores the success of their efforts, highlighting enhanced care in the AMUs. The team’s demonstration of care, compassion, and teamwork while supporting staff through significant service changes reflects their commitment to excellence and improvement in maternity healthcare delivery. 

Volunteer of the Year

Schwartz Rounds Team

The Schwartz Rounds team, have been recognised with the Volunteer of the Year award for their pivotal role in fostering a supportive environment for staff, and contributing to our Staff Health and Wellbeing objectives. Since its inception in 2021 and launch of the first round in December 2022, these monthly gatherings have provided a safe space for staff from all disciplines to discuss the social and emotional aspects of work. Their commitment to training for and facilitating these rounds has resulted in well attended rounds and positive feedback, highlighting the positive impact on staff well-being. By offering a platform for open dialogue without judgment, they’ve promoted mental health support and strength the sense of community and belonging. Their dedication has not only improved staff morale but also created a culture of empathy and respect within the hospital community, making them invaluable volunteers deserving of recognition. 

Directors Award

Nelly Delwani 

Nelly Delwani, a devoted midwife at the QEUH Maternity unit since April 2021, has been awarded the Directors Award for her unwavering commitment to compassionate care. She has consistently placed women at the forefront of her practice, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs met with empathy. Nelly’s advocacy for vulnerable women, particularly those with language barriers, highlights her dedication to inclusivity and accessibility in care. Her positivity, cheerfulness, and professionalism make her an indispensable asset to the Labour ward team. Nelly’s exceptional advocacy and commitment to excellence in maternity care embody the values celebrated by the Directors Award, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the field. 

The team, department, service or function that has been judged to have worked together as a team and made the most significant contribution to quality of care, population health and care, service delivery or staff wellbeing likely under significant pressure or difficult circumstances.

Any member of staff who has stood out as an exemplar of care giving, service delivery or who has made a major difference for colleagues around them or the delivery of a key objective for their department or wider NHSGGC/HSCP.

Any member of staff who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, positive values and behaviours and/or inspired others in a particularly challenging situation, or for the respect they get from others through the day to day difference they make for those around them as a leader.

Any member of staff can demonstrate leadership, not just those who formally manage people.

To recognise any individual, team or department responsible for developing and implementing an innovative service, method, technology or process that has made a significant difference to quality of care, wider population health or care, service delivery or to the wellbeing of our own staff or to the efficient use our resources.

To recognise an individual or team of individuals who have volunteered significant time and effort to the benefit of our patients, service users or staff and made selfless contribution perhaps under difficult personal circumstances.

NHSGGC promotes good mental health and the wellbeing of our staff. We treat our people fairly regardless of their mental health status and we don’t discriminate. We also provide a safe and healthy workplace. 

Mental health problems like stress, depression or anxiety cause a significant proportion of sickness absence across Scotland. We know that getting support at an early stage can prevent absence from work and help recovery. 

To achieve this, our staff will be managed in a way that is not detrimental to their mental health and positively promotes mental health and wellbeing, following our policies in this area.

Top Tips

1. Mental health problems are a common cause of long term sickness absence and have major resource implications for NHSGGC. Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing helps improve physical health, social inclusion and productivity
2. NHSGGC has a duty of care under our Staff Governance Standard to protect the mental health and wellbeing of our staff whilst they are at work. We are also committed to tackling disability discrimination, including discrimination relating to people who experience mental health problems.

Beyond our legal obligations, we promote good mental health and wellbeing by providing healthy working environments to help develop and nurture staff.

Policy

NHSGGC aim to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of staff. A range of policies and practices exist to help us do this and this policy guidance brings these together for easy reference: Board Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy.

If you have any questions in relation to this policy please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit.

The NHS Scotland Workforce Attendance Policy came into effect on the 1st March 2020. This policy aims to encourage and support employee attendance, where health impacts their ability to be at work.

The aim of Attendance Management is to help the Board make the most of the employee attendance by reducing both short and long-term absence through promoting positive attitudes to work and effectively working in partnerships with all parties to reduce employee absence to the minimum levels as possible. This policy ensures that NHSGGC adopt a fair, consistent and supportive approach to staff with health problems, resolving long term or on-going absences through the most appropriate means available and ensuring they provide a healthy and safe workplace.

Further information and supporting documentation can be found on the Attendance Policy Overview and Attendance: Roles & Responsibilities document.

COVID Special Leave will end on Sunday 31^st March 2024. Therefore, from 1^st April 2024 any employee absent due to COVID symptoms will be recorded as sick leave. Please see DL(2024)03 – Removal of Temporary COVID Special Leave for further information.

Managers can also access the Attendance – Managers Toolkit for guidance.

The introduction of the Workplace Adjustment Passport aims to support employees with a disability, health condition or diversity in the workplace to have a great experience at work. This can be used to support employees within their current workplace or when moving between departments and / or roles. This is in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Stress in the Workplace

NHSGGC is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

The menopause is a natural process and for many can be positively managed through lifestyle adjustments. However, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde recognises that for some the menopause is not always an easy transition. Some employees may need additional considerations to support and improve their experience at work.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to supporting employees who are affected in any way by the menopause and to support and inform managers so that employees reporting issues are treated fairly and given appropriate support.   

Phased Return Following Long Term Absence

Following long term absence the arrangements are that an employee who returns to work on a phased return as recommended by Occupational Health will be entitled to be paid for a period of up to 4 weeks at their normal contractual pay.

If the phased return needs to extend beyond 4 weeks, the employee will be expected to contribute any accrued annual leave. However, if an employee does not wish to use their annual leave they can opt to be paid according to the actual hours worked during the phased return period.

Phased returns should not normally last for periods of longer than 8 weeks.

NHSGGC have a zero tolerance approach to smoking  on all NHS grounds and premises. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all staff, patients and visitors. 

Our Smokefree Policy aims to work towards a tobacco-free environment. This policy applies to all staff, patients and visitors. 

• NHSGGC Smokefree Policy 

NHS Scotland Workforce Adoption, Fostering and Kinship Policy

Adoption
52 weeks of Adoption Leave is available to eligible employees that are adopting a child/children to assist the family in adjusting to their new circumstances. Adoption Leave is applied for on eESS using employee self-service. If you do not have access to eESS, your line manager can submit your application on your behalf. Standard Operating Procedures can be found here.

To qualify for Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) an employee must have completed at least 26 weeks of continuous employment with their current NHS employer by the week they are matched with the child. For surrogacy arrangements, an employee must have completed at least 26 weeks of continuous employment with their current NHS employer by the 15th week before the baby’s due date.

An employee must also have average earnings above the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions during the 8 weeks before the end of the qualifying week.

To qualify for Occupational Adoption Pay (OAP) an employee must have 12 months of continuous service with one or more NHS employers the week the adoption agency matches them with a child or if applying via a surrogacy arrangement, 15th week before the baby’s due date.

Fostering
Fostering can be for varying lengths of time, from short term to long term fostering. NHS Scotland will adopt a flexible approach to this.

Employees should discuss their intention to foster with their manager as soon as possible to determine the appropriate level of support required. For very short-term fostering, the manager should consider providing time off under the Special Leave Policy. However, approval is not guaranteed. For longer-term fostering, the manager should consider providing time off under the arrangements for a career break.

Kinship
Employees should discuss Kinship arrangements with their manager as soon as possible to determine the appropriate level of support required. Employees who need time off should request this under the Special Leave Policy. However, approval is not guaranteed. Alternatively, an employee may consider time off under the arrangements for a career break.

The NHS Scotland Workforce Adoption, Fostering and Kinship Policy, including a guide for managers and a guide for employees can be found here.

The Annual Leave Policy applies to all employees of NHS Scotland employed on Agenda for Change terms and conditions.  

The aim of this policy is to provide a uniform and equitable approach to the calculation of annual leave and bank holiday entitlements which take into account the entitlements and arrangements defined under Agenda for Change.

The policy is to determine annual leave entitlement in hours not days for all staff regardless of whether the employee is full-time or part time. The benefit for all employees in calculating entitlement in hours is that this ensures equity for all by ensuring that staff who work variable hours/shifts do not receive either more or less leave than colleagues who work a standard pattern.

Starting/Leaving half way through the year

Entitlement to annual leave accrues from the date of commencement in post and entitlement in the first year is dependent on the number of days worked between the date of joining and before the end of the annual leave year. This can be calculated using the annual leave calculator.

All employees are entitled to public holidays from their start date that would fall on a normal working day, for example: employee starts on 12^th December, they will be entitled to take all Christmas and New Year public holidays if they would normally have been a working day.

For the first year, an employee will be entitled to public holidays as and when they fall regardless of how much they are entitled to.

Therefore, to calculate an employee’s annual leave and public holiday entitlement for a part year, the annual leave calculator should be used for the annual leave component. For public holidays, this would be the public holidays remaining until the end of the annual leave year. For example, a full time employee working Monday to Friday commences employment on 1^st September (no previous NHS experience) would be entitled to 118 hours annual leave. From 1^st September there would be 5 public holidays remaining which would equate to 37 hours, therefore the employee would have 155 entitlements for the part year.

The above would be similar if an employee left employment through the annual leave year.

Annual Leave Policy

Please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit if you wish clarification on the application of this policy.

Annual Leave Calculator

• Annual Leave Calculator
• Leave Tracker

Holiday calculators are provided to assist in the calculation of leave entitlements. This Annual leave calculator can also be used for Executive and Senior Managers.  Staff on Term Time Contracts should continue to refer to the HR Support and Advice Unit for help in calculating Annual Leave.  Departments are responsible for keeping the annual leave records of their own staff.

The Public Holiday element of the annual leave calculator should only be used for part-time employees (to calculate their pro rata entitlement). Full-time members of staff will be entitled to all public holidays which fall during the time of their employment.

The Public Holidays for 2024/25 are as follows:

Good Friday: 29^th March 2024
Easter Monday: 1^st April 2024
May Day Monday: 6^th May 2024
Autumn Monday: 30^th September 2024
Christmas Day: 25^th December 2024
Boxing Day: 26^th December 2024
New Year: 1^st January 2025
New Year: 2^nd January 2025

Please refer to Section 43 for staff who are either commencing/leaving the organisation as follows:

43. Staff who leave the employing organisation will receive their full annual leave entitlement per Table 2 for each day they have worked in the current leave year, less any annual leave taken plus any outstanding public holiday hours, i.e. for those hours still to be taken as a result of the employee working a public holiday.

Please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit if you wish further information or clarification on annual leave entitlement and use of the calculator.

*Medical Staff are covered by separate terms and conditions and should refer to Medical Staffing for advice.

The Blended Working Guide can be found here.

NHS Scotland Workforce Breastfeeding Policy

NHS Scotland recognises that breastfeeding does not exclusively apply to employees who identify as women. For some, descriptors such as chestfeeding may be more appropriate, and in such cases, this policy applies.

The aim of the breastfeeding policy is to support and encourage employees who wish to continue to breastfeed or express milk in the workplace (including milk to be donated).

In line with the policy, managers should look to support employees on their return to work from maternity leave and where possible, provide the necessary breaks and resources for them to continue breastfeeding at work.

To provide support, it would be reasonable for the employee to request to change their working pattern or temporarily change their hours. If possible, necessary breaks and time off during working hours should be provided to allow the employee to breastfeed if their baby is cared for nearby, or to express milk.

Suitable facilities should be available for breastfeeding mothers and birthing parents as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive.

Areas for rest and expressing milk should be clean and warm with the following:

• a low, comfortable chair and the facility to lie down
• a lock or an arrangement to ensure privacy
• handwashing facilities nearby
• an electric point for an electric pump

Facilities for storing expressed milk must provide the following:

• a clean area to store sterilising equipment
• a dedicated and secure space for storing expressed milk at 2–4°C until the employee takes it home

If you are unsure about the availability of suitable area to allow an employee to breastfeed or store expressed milk, this should be discussed with your local Facilities Team.

The NHS Scotland Workforce Breastfeeding Policy, including a guide for managers and a guide for employees can be found here.

By implementing the Career Break Policy NHS Scotland aims to create an environment that will allow all employees to utilise their skills, talents and expertise and thereby allow it to both recruit and retain a well motivated and committed workforce.

The purpose of the career break policy is to allow employees an opportunity to leave their employment on a long-term basis mainly to undertake further education or to fulfill domestic commitments. The policy is not intended to support people in taking up alternative paid employment.

The policy will enable employees to keep up to date during their career break and help them return to work at the end of the break.

Policy

NHS Scotland Workforce Career Break Policy

NHS Scotland Workforce Career Break Application Form

Should you require further advice please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit.

Guidance

What is a Career Break?

A career break allows employees an opportunity to leave their employment on a long-term basis mainly to undertake further education or to fulfil domestic commitments.

Am I entitled to apply for a Career Break?

So long as you have at least 12 months’ service with the NHS then you are eligible to apply for a career break. Applications will be considered on the merits of each individual case.

How much time off am I entitled to?

The minimum period for a career break is 6 months and the maximum period is five years. An employee may, however, make a number of breaks throughout their employment with the Board provided that the total periods of absence do not exceed five years.

How do I apply for a Career Break?

You should initially discuss your intention to apply for a Career Break with your line manager.  An application should then be made, in writing, to your line manager at least 3 months before commencing the proposed career break. This timeframe can be waivered at the Manager’s discretion. If approved, your line manager will then issue you with an agreement detailing the terms and conditions of the career break and ensure a copy of this is sent to Payroll Department. Your line manager is also required to update your assignment status on eESS: Career Break

Return to Work Arrangements

Three months’ notice of an intention to return to work must be given to the line manager. While no guarantee of a return to a particular post can be given, every effort will be made to place individuals in posts of similar band, hours and responsibility to that held prior to the break, and will take into account the employee’s experience, achievements and qualifications.

Please refer to the full Career Break Policy for details on general terms and conditions of a Career Break and for information on SPPA contributions, lease cars, organisational change and sick and maternity leave.

Keeping records up to date

We need to know when you’re at work and when you have any type of time off. This is important to make sure we pay you correctly too.

Once a career break has been agreed this should be recorded on eESS via manager self service: Career Break Standard Operating Procedure

All managers should ensure that SSTS is updated correctly and payroll is informed, where SSTS is not available. The HR Support and Advice Unit can be contacted on 0141 278 2700 if you have any further questions or need advice on this policy area.

Line managers should ensure that a copy of the career break confirmation letter is sent to Payroll and that the employee’s assignment status is updated on eESS.

Please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit if you wish to clarify the application of this template in conjunction with the policy and guidance associated with career breaks.

NHS Scotland Workforce Flexible Work Location Policy

NHS Scotland Workforce Flexible Work Pattern Policy

All employees within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have a right to request flexible working from day one in post.

Successful applications will result in a permanent change to that employee’s terms and conditions of employment (unless otherwise agreed).

Non-acceptance of an application for flexible working can only be for valid and objective service/operational reasons and the line manager must, confirm these reasons in writing to the employee outlining their right of appeal.

Top Tips on using the POLICY…..

1. Only two flexible working application can be submitted within a 12 month period.
2. For successful applications the employee has no right to revert back to their previous working pattern.
3. The manager must arrange a meeting within 4 weeks of receipt of an application.

Should you have any questions in relation to this policy please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit.

The Board Home Working Policy is part of our work/life balance policies. This is where work is performed at or from home instead of at or from the Board’s premises for a significant proportion of the contractual working hours. 

“Working from home” and “working at home” have specific definitions in the policy and operate in different ways. These options are desirable because they can provide greater flexibility for our staff and increase the scope to meet the Board’s commitment to equal opportunities.

In addition, we can broaden the traditional recruitment market and gain access to alternative labour markets allowing us to attract and retain staff.

There are also environmental advantages by avoiding unnecessary car journeys.  

Top Tips on using the Homeworking Policy

• Individuals working at home retain an NHSGGC base
• Individuals working from home have their home as their office base
• Suitability for home working will depend on the post
• Home working must be approved by the line manager
• Subject to regular review
• Regular and effective communication between employee and line manager is paramount.
• A home working risk assessment must be completed for everyone working from home
• Same Employment Rights apply to home workers

The purpose of the maternity leave policy is to detail the eligibility of employees to receive occupational NHS maternity pay. The policy details the eligibility criteria for the occupational scheme and the application process.

The policy also details the ability to return to work during maternity leave for KIT (Keeping in Touch) days if you would like to do so and the obligations on the employer to ensure an appropriate risk assessment is carried out to ensure your health and safety when pregnant and on your return.

More detailed guidance and frequently asked questions can be found under the guidance tab.

Update to Childcare Voucher Scheme

Application Process for Doctors and Dentists in Training

Doctors and Dentists in training with GGC currently on placement at another board – please use the link below to complete the paper application, this should be submitted to your placement board:

Maternity Leave Application Form 

All other trainees who are working within GGC should apply through eESS (Employee Self Service).

Policy

NHS Scotland Workforce Maternity Policy

If you have any questions in relation to this policy please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit.

Update to Childcare Vouchers Scheme

Forms

The following documents can be downloaded as part of the maternity leave process – 

eESS Maternity Standard Operating Procedure

Maternity Communication Checklist

Risk Assessment Form

Please contact the HRSAU for further information or clarification on their use.

Please note: Doctors and Dentists in training are required to complete a paper based application. Use the link below to locate and complete the application. This should then be passed to your placement board to process:

Maternity Leave Application Form

FAQs

NHS Scotland Workforce New Parent Support Policy

An employee is entitled to take up to 2 weeks of new parent support leave if they are the biological father of the child, or the spouse or civil partner, partner, or nominated carer of a mother who gives birth to a child.

An employee will also be entitled if they are the intended parent on the birth of a child through a surrogacy arrangement or if they are adoptive parents where a child is matched or newly placed with them for adoption. Either adoptive parent may take new parent support leave while the other parent can take adoption leave.

From 6th April 2024 employees will be entitled to take their 2 week entitlement either as a single block or as two separate weeks of leave. This must be taken within 12 months from the date the child is born, placed for adoption or arrives in the UK in the case of overseas adoptions.

Only one period of new parent support leave and pay is available when there are multiple births, such as twins.

To qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay an employee must have completed at least 26 weeks of continuous employment with their current NHS employer at the end of the 15th week before the expected week or childbirth or the end of the week the adoption agency notifies them of a match. In the case of overseas adoptions, it is the date the child arrives in the UK or when the employee wants their pay to start.

An employee must also have average earnings above the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions during the 8 weeks before the end of the qualifying week.

To qualify for Occupational Paternity Pay an employee must have 12 months of continuous service with one or more NHS employer before they take their leave.

Partners must give 15 weeks’ notice from the expected week of childbirth of their intention to take New Parent Support Leave and 4 weeks’ notice of the exact dates of their leave.

The NHS Scotland Workforce New Parent Support Policy, including a guide for managers and a guide for employees can be found here.

NHS Scotland Workforce Parental Leave Policy

The Parental Leave Policy is one of the Work-Life Balance Policies which allows our staff to balance family and work commitments and spend time with their children.

To be eligible to parental leave an employee must:

• have 12 months of continuous service with one or more NHS employers
• have or expect to have responsibility for a child (to have responsibility for a child, the employee must be the biological or adoptive parent)
• be taking leave to spend time or otherwise care for the child

Employees are entitled to 18 weeks of leave for each child under 18. For NHS Scotland employees, the first 4 weeks is paid leave. Pay will be as if at work and will reflect contractual hours. The remaining 14 weeks are unpaid.

Employees will be asked for evidence of entitlement when they make their first request for leave for a child. This will be in the form of a birth or adoption certificate.

The paid element must be taken before the child’s 14th birthday or 18th birthday for an adopted child or a child with a disability.

Employees usually take parental leave in weekly blocks.

If an individual changes employer, the entitlement balance is not restored to 18 weeks. The individual should notify their new employer of any parental leave and pay already taken.

An employee should request parental leave giving at least 3 weeks notice before the start of the leave using the Parental Leave form.

If an employee is requesting to take more than 4 weeks of leave in a continuous block, they should normally give their manager 2 months’ notice. However, if the manager is able to support the leave with less notice, it should be accommodated.

The NHS Scotland Workforce Parental Leave Policy, including a guide for managers and a guide for employees can be found here.

The Public Holidays for 2023/24 are as follows:

Good Friday: 7^th April 2023
Easter Monday: 10^th April 2023
May Day Monday: 1^st May 2023
King’s Coronation: 8^th May 2023
Autumn Monday: 25^th September 2023
Christmas Day: 25^th December 2023
Boxing Day: 26^th December 2023
New Year: 1^st January 2024
New Year: 2^nd January 2024

The Public Holidays for 2024/25 are as follows:

Good Friday: 29^th March 2024
Easter Monday: 1^st April 2024
May Day Monday: 6^th May 2024
Autumn Monday: 30^th September 2024
Christmas Day: 25^th December 2024
Boxing Day: 26^th December 2024
New Year: 1^st January 2025
New Year: 2^nd January 2025

Please see further information regarding Good Friday Public Holiday (29^th March 2024) for Leave Year 2024/2025 here.

Board Reduced Working Year Policy.

The purpose of this policy is to promote flexible working practices and to define one of these, the reduced working years. Most commonly the reduced working year is utilised as a term time arrangement where the duties of the post are carried out during school terms.

The policy details how a reduced working year contract would work in practice.

Please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit if you have any questions in relation to this policy.

The Shared Maternity and Shared Adoption Policy outlines the procedure employees must use to request shared maternity and shared adoption leave. It also details their statutory and contractual rights and pay arrangements.

The Once for Scotland Workforce Shared Maternity and Shared Adoption Policy and application forms can be found here. Completed forms should be sent to the HR Admin Team via the HR Portal.

NHS Scotland Workforce Special Leave Policy

NHSGGC understands that employees need to balance the demands of work requirements with domestic responsibilities. Whilst each employee is responsible for ensuring appropriate care mechanisms are in place to meet their personal responsibilities, NHS GG&C may assist in circumstances where arrangements have unavoidably broken down and time off work is required.

Our Special Leave Policy explains how time off from work is managed, for situations such as to deal with domestic emergencies, the serious illness or death of a partner, family member or relative, close friend or colleague or for short term carer’s leave.

Special Leave is also used for time off for public duties such as jury service, member of a public body such as Children’s Panel or training days with Volunteer Forces.

Please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit if you require further advice.

There is a separate Reserve Forces Training and Mobilisation Policy

Dealing with a death of an employee can be a difficult and emotionally demanding experience. As the line manager, you will most likely be involved in communicating with partners and/or family members during this time with regards to death in service benefits, pensions and final salary arrangements.

To help ensure that our Payroll service and Human Resources are provided with sufficient and accurate information relating to employees who die in service, please review the below guidance which includes a checklist of what is required and a flowchart of the process to follow. This helps Human Resources and Payroll when notifying the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) and enables the efficient administration of death-in-service benefits to surviving partners and dependants. 

Please also note the template letters that you may wish to use to confirm details with the partner/family members.

We appreciate that this is a very sensitive subject and if you require any further advice or guidance, please do not hesitate to contact the HR Support and Advice Unit on 0141 278 2700 (option 2) or through the HR Portal at https://nhsnss.service-now.com/ggc_hr.

Documentation

• Death in Service Notes for Managers
• Letter – Partner 
• Letter – Partner and Children
• Letter – No SPPA Service Acknowledgment

Exit Interview

When a member of staff is leaving NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, we would ask that all managers ensure appropriate steps are taken to assist their exit and to ensure the relevant paperwork and Board belongings are returned. The leavers checklist below will ensure you follow all relevant steps required when an employee is leaving.

eESS has been the main mechanism for employees to complete an exit interview questionnaire. However, this provides challenges in obtaining relevant data and trends and has not been widely used within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Therefore, a refreshed exit interview process has been introduced within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde which will allow an opportunity for employees and managers to have a meaningful discussion and complete an exit interview questionnaire. The refreshed process will also include the ability to transfer exit interview data in to eESS to allow reporting and analysis.

An electronic form, mirroring eESS exit interview questionnaire, is available for managers and employees to complete together and to enable a meaningful discussion regarding the employees experience. A paper form, mirroring eESS exit interview questionnaire is also available as a contingency and for any services with limited access to PCs and/ or laptops.

An employee can still choose to complete an exit interview through eESS employee self service or the electronic form without a manager, if they wish.

• Leavers Checklist
• Exit Interview – eForm
• Exit Interview – Paper Form

The Fixed Term Policy applies to all individuals who work under a fixed term contract of employment. The purpose of the policy is to provide clear principles and values which will govern the appropriate use of fixed-term contracts ensuring compliance with legislation governing fixed-term employees.

The policy provides a procedure for dealing with fixed-term contracts which is fair and equitable and has both the interests of the employee and the effective operation of the service as its goals.

Top Tips on using the policy:

1. All fixed-term contracts should have a start and end date or specified duration.
2. Fixed-Term contracts should have no more than two renewals within any one year period (unless this can be objectively justified).
3. Fixed-Term employees should not be treated any less favourably than permanent employees.
4. All fixed-term contract employees should have their position reviewed mid-term.

Policy

NHSGGC is committed to using permanent contracts of employment as the norm, with fixed term contracts only being used where necessary and appropriate.  This policy applies to all individuals who work under a fixed term contract.  The policy has been developed in partnership, and  meets the minimum standards set out in the Fixed Term Contracts Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policy and reflects current employment legislation.

Board Fixed Term Contracts Policy

Please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit if you wish clarification on the application of this policy.

This guidance applies to all substantive employees who wish to retire and facilitates a smooth transition from work to leisure. 

The Once for Scotland Workforce Retirement Policy can be found here.

Thinking of Retiring? Please read Important Changes to SPPA application dates.