November’s You Made a Difference awards go to a senior radiographer who organises a mental health fundraising event and a specialist nurse administration assistant described as a ‘shining example of an NHS employee.'
After qualifying as a radiographer in 2010, Chris Folkard joined the Trust as a general diagnostic radiographer in 2013. He took up a locum role in body CT before becoming a senior neurology radiographer, providing CT scanning, neurology angiography, interventional neurology radiology and neurology theatre radiography services.
The nomination describes Chris as, ‘A very sympathetic and empathetic person which is a great strength when working in the Neurology team.'
On top of his work commitments, which include extended working day shifts and being part of the on-call rota, Chris has undertaken the Mental Health First Aider training and is involved with the “Time to Change “ charity.
As part of this, he has organised an Open Mind Night for the past three years. An extract from his winning nomination told us:
‘Chris has done an amazing job organising Open Mind Night, a variety show of singing, poetry and comedy performed by people with lived experience of mental health problems. This is the third year Chris has organised the event in his own time, and it is a great and unusual way to raise awareness of mental health, challenge stigma and raise money for a nominated charity, which this year was MindEd. I think the work Chris has done to put together an event for the staff of Addenbrooke’s is incredible and it is activities like this that make a difference to anyone who lives with mental illness.’
Alexandra Keates joined the Trust in November 2016 as an apprentice in clinic nine (prosthetics). On completion of her apprenticeship she moved to the urology department as a receptionist and then to her current role as specialist nurse administration assistant.
Alex’s role involves supporting the specialist nurses with booking nurse led clinics, assisting with filing, picking up messages from patients and liaising with them regarding their appointments. She is described as ‘an asset to the team’
This is reflected in the winning nomination, an extract of which told us:
‘Alex is a shining example of an NHS employee. There is nothing she will not do and no skill she is not willing to learn. Alex will regularly go above and beyond to make sure both her colleagues and patients are looked after. She is the biggest team player I know, always looking out for her fellow colleagues and will stay late or come in early in order to fulfil her role. In addition to her current post, Alex also acts as receptionist whenever staff have been off, to ensure patients are seen in a timely fashion and with the respect they deserve, as well as managing her main role to completion.'
'She is kind, compassionate, caring, dedicated, skilled, endearing, respectful, organised, hard-working and most of all - amazing at her job and a valued member of the team. There is no other person in this world that I would trust to work at this hospital more than Alex.’