Jacqui said:

“I was genuinely surprised and incredibly grateful to receive the Exceptional People Award. It means a great deal to be recognised for something I am so passionate about.

“While I am honoured to receive this award, it truly reflects a huge team effort. Together, we have supported 233 staff to achieve their Nursing Associate registration, with a 79% retention rate. What is most important to me is the difference this is making. Supporting apprentices is helping to strengthen the workforce across Oxford Health and making a real impact on clinical services and the care the Trust delivers.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a dedicated and supportive team. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this achievement and supported apprentices throughout their learning journey.”

The nomination

Jacqui was nominated by her colleague Deputy Head of Learning and Development and Head of Apprenticeships Vicky Drew.

Vicky commented:

“For the past seven years, Jacqui has played a pivotal role in supporting the team who manage the training delivery and rollout of the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship and Registered Nurse Top‑Up Apprenticeship.

“Through effective management of the teaching delivery and placement team, apprentices are taught to an exceptional standard and placed in appropriate, high‑quality learning environments that support the development of confidence, competence, and professional skills.

“Jacqui’s contribution has had a significant positive impact on the team’s success. Acting as a key link between apprentices, teaching teams, placement areas, universities, and the placement team resulting in improved apprentice experience, progression, and retention.

“She’s been especially helpful for apprentices juggling work, study, and personal commitments. By ensuring the team step in early, listen, and signpost people to the right support, Jacqui has helped reduce withdrawals and keep learners on track.

“Jacqui also supports teams by making apprenticeship requirements clear and easy to understand, which helps take the stress and uncertainty out of supervision and assessment. She’s known as someone who can be relied on to sort things out, responding quickly to placement issues and working with teams to find safe, sensible solutions that ease pressure on clinical areas.

“She’s helped improve the overall quality of placements by supporting better planning, inductions, and matching learners to the right environments. This work plays an important part in building a strong, sustainable nursing workforce for the Trust.

“Colleagues and learners often describe Jacqui as approachable, supportive, and trustworthy. She leads by example, showing kindness, professionalism, and high standards, and she encourages others to get involved in workforce development in a positive way – Jacqui as an excellent role model.”