Karen Aldred, an Administrator for the Community Bladder and Bowel team based in Bexhill, has won the Trust’s ‘Hero of the Month’ award.
Karen Aldred, Administrator for the Community Bladder and Bowel team with Steve Phoenix, Trust Chairman
Karen was nominated by Tracey Perkins, Senior Bladder and Bowel Nurse who said: “During the Covid pandemic many of the community bladder and bowel team were redeployed to different areas of the Trust. This meant the team who were left were dealing with the many phone calls from anxious patients and family members who had concerns about the supply of products, or anxious about how Covid was affecting them. Through this time Karen worked with colleagues to support these patients, often going the extra mile to help someone or prompt me to call a particularly distressed person.
“Karen has also been key in reviewing how administration is going to look in the future for the clinical team. She has been working with her managers to review pathways and new ways of working. This is challenging at the best of times but this is straight after all the working changes of the last 18 months.
“There are many unsung heroes hidden away working hard, and without their dedication, clinicians wouldn’t be able to do their work. Without Karen’s dedication, many patients would have suffered and her reassuring voice has brought a lot of comfort to people so they know that someone cares.”
Trust Chairman, Steve Phoenix presented Karen with a certificate and a Love to Shop voucher.
The ‘Hero of the Month’ award recognises the great work of colleagues who demonstrate how East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust values are lived out as part of everyday working life.
Each month, members of staff nominate their colleagues for this award. Eight Divisional heroes of the month are then selected by divisional leads, and these nominations go forward to be selected as the overall Trust ‘Hero of the Month’ by the Trust Executive.