Norfolk nursing teams win top national award

The neonatal nurses at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have won the prestigious Nursing Times award for Team of The year for their joint work with the University of East Anglia School of Nursing and Midwifery and Quidenham Hospice.

The three organisations worked together to develop the very first service in the country to create a care pathway for babies who go from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for palliative care at Quidenham Hospice or at their own home with hospice support.

The neonatal palliative care pathway was developed in response to the experience of two families whose babies died and one family whose baby survived beyond expectations. The families raised issues about lack of choice particularly in relation to bereavement support. This pathway therefore ensures that excellent palliative care for babies with life limiting conditions is included within provision of neonatal services and also enables carers to respond to the needs of the baby and the family in a professional and sensitive manner.

NICU nurse manager Amanda Williamson and Sister Jacqui Jones were presented the award at the Park Lane Hilton on Wednesday night by health minister and former nurse, Ann Keen. The Norfolk winners were up against 96 entrants. The teams have also been invited to meet Prime Minister Gordon Brown following their Nursing Times award win.

Amanda said: “This is a very prestigious award to win and I am very proud of the whole team and everyone who contributed to making this happen”.

Julie Lindsay, of the University of East Anglia's School of Nursing and Midwifery, said: “The establishment of this pathway and this prestigious national award will also show our students examples of good innovative care approaches, encouraging such innovations in our future practitioners.”