Health award goes to x-ray expert

A team of hospital gardeners and a senior radiographer have been named as employees of the month by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust. Pauline Hrab won the individual staff honours award.

The prize for the radiographer advanced practitioner in the x-ray department at Stafford Hospital, includes a £50 gift voucher. Gardener brothers Malcolm and Neil Bloor, Lisa Cartwright and Ron Humphries, won the team category, with a prize of £500, in the second of the series of monthly awards.

Pauline, who has been based at the hospital for 30 years, having qualified as a radiographer in 1977, was nominated by four colleagues.

She was also described as 'an absolute rock, calm, diplomatic, good sense of humour – a pleasure to work with'.

As an advanced practitioner, Pauline is able to perform specialist procedures such as barium enemas, which used to be carried out only by consultant radiologists.

She said: "I'm surprised and very flattered to have been nominated and to have won the award. I work with a wonderful team of people."

The gardeners were nominated by Stella Machin, the trust's accommodation manager, who said: "They work in all weathers and are unsung heroes.

"They keep the extensive hospital grounds looking good, which gives patients and staff a boost and do much work which is above and beyond their duties."

Neil Bloor, senior gardener, said: "We are all very pleased that we have been considered for the award and to actually have won this is great – thank you!"

Chief executive Martin Yeates handed over the March staff honour awards to Pauline and the gardening team.

Ashdale Investments Group is sponsoring the awards for a year to recognise the contribution of staff who go the extra mile for patients and their service.

Other members of staff nominated for the individual awards for March were: Noeleen Smith, from Dermatology, Doreen West, from Accident & Emergency, Sue Streete, from x-ray, and Carol Horley, from Facilities. Other teams nominated were Audiology, Catering Services at Cannock and the Productivity Project Team.