Joanne said:

“I was so surprised to hear that I had won an award. Being nominated by Amy means a great deal to me, and I’m incredibly grateful for the recognition. I’m passionate about my work and proud to be part of such a supportive team. Receiving this award has given me a real boost and inspires me to continue making a positive difference every day.”

The nomination

Joanne was nominated by her colleague Deputy Ward Manager, for St. Leonards Ward, Amy Dow.

Amy commented:

“Jo has been part of the Trust for six years. She has worked at Wallingford Hospital for five years. She came to Wallingford having been in a dental practice, so had a lot to learn about community hospital practices and protocols.

“Jo is an excellent manager and colleague. Her administration team adore her and trust her judgement and leadership. She is enthusiastic, proactive and empowers her team to develop and challenge themselves. She is open, non-judgemental and kind to all staff. Many people feel she is easy to talk to, creating a professional warm environment for anyone to raise concerns. Every day, she holds herself to a high caring standard, which improves staff morale and encourages them to adhere to the same standard.

“She is always there to help you when you need it, this applies to anyone including members of the public. Many patients who attend the front desk are delighted to see Jo, who greets them with a smile, listens carefully and guides them to their appointment or the support they need. A patient recently said:

“She’s the best part of my week, because she’s so kind and it’s nice be listened to.”

“Jo has also improved our clinical service on the ward by helping us organise our stock rooms, implement better systems and support her colleagues with objective feedback in supervision sessions. She is brilliant at maintaining our hospital communication between allied healthcare professionals and services we liaise with. She works incredibly hard to improve our communication through the correct use of systems, resolving teething issues and implementing improvements. This has improved the safety and excellence of our practice.”