A Clinical Support Worker from Morecambe Bay has become a winner of a Cavell Star Award. Lindsay McArthur, a Radiographer’s Assistant at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust was nominated for going above and beyond for her patients.
When she was young, Lindsay had always thought about nursing as a career but ended up training to be a secretary and working at Heysham Power Station. She then bought a local café, renovating and running it for a few years before selling the business.
Lindsay’s interest in nursing never left her and she decided to do something about it. Applying to her local hospital trust, she eventually got a job as a healthcare assistant in the Oncology department. She progressed into Clinical Support and now works as a Radiographer’s Assistant in the Breast Screening Unit.
“I love the patient contact” says Lindsay “I work with the Radiographer so I have a lot of one to one contact with each patient and I really enjoy that.
“After their initial screening, the people I see have been called back for further tests due to some sort of anomaly detected, possibly breast cancer. My job is to put them at ease during these further tests and biopsies so it can be quite a scary and daunting time for them.”
Lindsay was nominated by her colleagues for a Cavell Star Award for going above and beyond for her patients. Head of Breast Screening and colleague Georgia Argent explains,
“At our very busy Breast Screening Unit, we see a lot of patients who are very distressed and Lindsay goes above-and-beyond to ensure that during their time in clinic they are well looked after and feel cared for. Lindsay is incredibly calm and compassionate and never fails to put her patients and their families at ease. The response we get back is always so complimentary and I feel this reflects Lindsay’s dedication to her service.”
Nursing charity Cavell Nurses’ Trust launched the Cavell Star Awards in 2018 in partnership with LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare. Nominations are being sought from nursing teams throughout the UK for that special team mate who has shown exceptional care for either their colleagues or their patients and patients’ families. Each Cavell Star Award winner receives a medal, presentation case and pin badge as well as invites to attend a special Care & Cake Garden Party, celebrating of the nation’s nursing professionals.
Lindsay reacted to winning her award: “It feels absolutely wonderful! I felt so honoured to receive a Cavell Star Award, I was so shocked. It’s lovely to have your worked recognised.
“I work in a great team at the Breast Screening Unit, we all complement each other really well. The diversity of everyone’s roles in something I really enjoy.”
The Cavell Star Awards are in partnership with LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare and sponsored by NEXT, NHS Improvement, Health Education England, NHS Professionals, Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, Alexandra, British Journal of Nursing and Thornbury Nursing Services & Scottish Nursing Guild.
John Orchard, Chief Executive at Cavell Nurses’ Trust, explains: “Thank you to our partner and wonderful sponsors for making the Cavell Star Awards happen.
“We know there are nursing professionals up and down the country who show exceptional care every day, often in very difficult circumstances and sometimes when their own life is falling apart. You can say a big ‘thank you’ to your colleagues by giving them a Cavell Star Award!”
John continues: “Cavell Nurses’ Trust is here for nurses when they’re in a crisis, so we are really excited that the Cavell Star Awards are proving so successful at boosting morale for nursing teams working extremely hard in very challenging situations.”
Healthcare professionals wishing to nominate a nurse, midwife or HCA for a Cavell Star Award can find out more at https://www.cavellstarawards.org
