RCN Nurse of the Year 2021 revealed at live-streamed awards ceremony
Posted 12 October 2021 - 21:15
Meet the innovative nurse who set up a clinic to improve access to abortion care in Northern Ireland, plus all our award winners
A nurse who transformed a sexual health service in Northern lreland to enable women to access early medical abortion has been named RCN Nurse of the Year 2021.
Sexual health lead nurse Nicola Bailey set up the Rose Clinic in Belfast days after lockdown limited women’s ability to travel to England for terminations. She did this while also cutting waiting times for contraception and dealing with COVID-19 restrictions.
Awards announced at live-streamed ceremony
Ms Bailey said she is ‘delighted and honoured’ to win the award, announced at tonight's live-streamed RCN Nursing Awards ceremony, hosted by broadcaster and journalist Kate Garraway and RCN general secretary Pat Cullen.
‘This is amazing for me, but also amazing for women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare in Northern Ireland,’ said Ms Bailey, who works for Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
‘At our clinic we see women who are victims of rape and domestic violence, as well as women whose contraception has failed. We support vulnerable women who have repeatedly had their children removed from their care and help them with contraception so they can stop the cycle they are in and end the trauma of losing their children.’
In naming her RCN Nurse of the Year 2021, Ms Cullen said Ms Bailey had identified an area where she could use her knowledge and skills to improve access to care and treatment and moved swiftly to create an excellent person-centred service at her trust.
‘As nurses we often work in challenging environments and we work to challenge barriers and develop solutions to problems – Ms Bailey is no exception and as a result of her tenacity, she has overcome every obstacle to ensure women and girls get the support they need.’
Winner showed ‘determination to protect and promote human rights’
Awards judging panel chair and Foundation of Nursing Studies chief executive Joanne Bosanquet said: ‘We were blown away by the utter brilliance of all our nominees and finalists this year, but Ms Bailey’s passion for the women she cares for, her determination to protect and promote their human rights and her commitment to developing the role of the registered nurse in all aspects of sexual and reproductive healthcare in her trust and throughout Northern Ireland really stood out.’
The RCN Nurse of the Year was chosen from 15 awards category winners, which were also announced tonight. Earlier in the evening Ms Bailey won the Innovations in your Specialty category, sponsored by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
NMC chief executive Andrea Sutcliffe congratulated all the award winners, adding: ‘At the heart of this award was Ms Bailey’s desire to meet women’s needs, doing this with skill, kindness, respect and compassion. These are not only some of the defining principles of the NMC code but also the principles that underpin what it means to be an excellent nurse.’
Ms Bailey was nominated by sexual health clinical lead Siobhan Kirk, who said: ‘Ms Bailey is the most committed and compassionate nurse I have ever worked with. She overcomes every challenge to ensure her patients get what they need, including a challenging political situation and daily protests outside her clinic.
‘These services have revolutionised women’s healthcare in Northern Ireland and this award recognises Ms Bailey’s role in that.’
Belfast trust scoops three awards at this year’s ceremony
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust executive director of nursing and user experience Brenda Creaney said she was immensely proud after Ms Bailey became one of three nurses from the trust to win an award at this year's ceremony.
‘Their dedication to the care of patients, service users and colleagues never diminished amid the unrelenting presence of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have time and time again brought innovation and demonstrated leadership, in spite of the extreme pressures our nursing teams have been experiencing. I wish them continued success for the future.’
Ms Cullen said the awards had shown nurses ‘are so much more than their professional title’ and they spot opportunities to improve care and people’s lives.
‘You advocate for those who cannot find their voice, for whatever reason. You build a protective barrier around those often at their most vulnerable. You do this by understanding their needs, considering what support they require, and putting plans in place to help them.’
RCN Nursing Awards 2021 winners
Special Recognition Award
Noel McDonald
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Advanced Nursing Practice Award
Sponsored by the RCN
Heidi Emery
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Child Health Award
Sponsored by Impelsys
NISTAR – Nurse-led transfer team
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Commitment to Carers Award
Sponsored by NHS England and NHS Improvement
Joanne Shaw
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Community and General Practice Nursing Award
Sponsored by NHS England and NHS Improvement
Emma Carey
Northern Care Alliance
Excellence in Cancer Research Nursing Award
Sponsored by Cancer Research UK
Early phase clinical trials team
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Innovations in Your Specialty Award
Sponsored by the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Nicola Bailey
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Leadership Award
Sponsored by Cleveland Clinic London
Rohit Sagoo
British Sikh Nurses
Learning Disability Nursing Award
Rebecca Crossley
James Paget Hospital University Hospital
Mental Health Nursing Award
João Marçal-Grilo
Jaya Mental Health
Andrea Wyllie
Nursing Older People Award
Meaningful visits team
Greenock Medical Aid Society care homes
Nursing Student Award
Sponsored by Tork
Mairead Ryan
Queen's University Belfast
Nursing Support Worker Award
Sponsored by RCN
Nicola Trehane
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Outstanding Contribution to Infection Prevention and Control Award
Sponsored by INEOS Hygienics
Inpatient unit team
Ashgate Hospicecare
Patient’s Choice Award
Sponsored by Alexandra
Paul Murray
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Team of the Year Award
Sponsored by LV
Adult critical care unit team
Barts Health NHS Trust
RCNi Nurse Awards 2021 – all our finalists
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