Thursday 2 July 2015. CSH Surrey recognised a record number of its nurses, therapists and support staff at its annual CoCo awards ceremony on Thursday 2nd July (CoCo stands for 'Co-owners' Co-ownership' awards).
Our 750 staff took the time to make 198 nominations for the 15 awards, beating last year’s total of 175. The award categories ranged from ‘Outstanding nurse/therapist/clinical assistant of the Year’ to ‘Line manager of the Year’, ‘Rising Star’, ‘Unsung Hero’ and ‘Team of the Year’.
The awards are held in the same week as national Employee Ownership Day (EO Day, 3rd July), as CSH Surrey was the first group of nurses and therapists in England to leave the NHS and set up their own employee-owned social enterprise in 2006. In the nine years since establishing, CSH Surrey has proved time and again that being employee-owned means its nurses and therapists feel more pride, commitment and motivation, which means better quality care for patients and families.
Dot Hodgetts (below left), an Epsom resident who helped to present some of the awards and is herself a former nurse, says: “I was absolutely amazed to see so many people at the awards. It was a privilege to give the accolades, and brilliant seeing the best of the local NHS in action at CSH Surrey. And it is also fantastic to have the comfort knowing that it’s CSH Surrey’s excellent nurses and therapists who provide our local community services and will look after us so well.”
Dot also helped to present the Chairman’s Cup, which was won by the Ward Matron at the New Epsom and Ewell Community Hospital (NEECH), Pippa Savage (below middle, with CSH Surrey Chairman, Bill Caplan).
Maddy Doyle has a son who is under the care of CSH Surrey’s paediatric therapy and nursing services. She also helped to present some of the awards and says: “It was a real privilege to be part of such a special event. CSH Surrey clearly provides a very nurturing, warm and supportive environment to work in. The continuity of care provided to my son by the paediatric therapy and nursing teams at CSH Surrey – from birth to now at the Woodlands School (which won Team of the Year) – has been exceptional, and it’s down to them that he’s doing so well.”
Maddy Doyle (above right) with the Woodlands School therapy and nursing Team of the Year
Adrienne Knight, Head Teacher of Woodlands School, which won Team of the Year, says: “I am so pleased that the hard work and dedication of the medical and therapy staff at Woodlands has been honoured in such a way. It is truly deserved. The therapists and nursing staff at Woodlands are an exceptional team and add much value to the school and its pupils.”
Jo Pritchard, Chief Executive of CSH Surrey and herself a nurse and health visitor, says: “Day after day our nurses, therapists and support staff go the extra mile to ensure our patients, service users and their families receive high quality and safe services that are delivered with care and compassion. I’m so proud to recognise the hard work and commitment of so many of our employees at our very special awards ceremony.”