Doctor calls for ‘hard work’ of hospital staff to be recognised Best of Health Awards

A South Tyneside doctor is urging people to get their nominations in for this year’s Best of Health Awards.
Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician at South Tyneside District Hospital.Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician at South Tyneside District Hospital.
Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician at South Tyneside District Hospital.

Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Clinical Lead for Medicine and Care of the Elderly, at South Tyneside District Hospital, is backing the annual Shields Gazette and Sunderland Echo health honours.

Dr Shipley, who has been a consultant since 2011, says there are outstanding people in many different roles in our hospitals who all work together to make them run.

Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician at South Tyneside District Hospital.Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician at South Tyneside District Hospital.
Dr Mark Shipley, Consultant Respiratory Physician at South Tyneside District Hospital.
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His own position sees him work alongside four respiratory physicians - who make up a respiratory team of 50 and who care for patients with lung disease related to smoking or caused by the area’s industrial history.

This includes conditions like COPD and lung cancer.

The team also cares for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Dr Shipley said: “I’m one of those lucky people that enjoy their job.

“The reason I enjoy it is because is it constantly variable. You interact with people - patients and members of staff - and everyone pulls together towards the same aim.”

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Dr Shipley is involved in outpatient and inpatient clinics, as well educational and training work, and says this variety keeps things ‘fresh’.

He said: “There are loads of people that do really great work in the hospital.

“Sometimes the people that are doing the great work and interacting with patients, are not always the person whose name is on the door or at the end of the bed.

“They can be the porters, or the cleaners making the ward spotless.

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“Or the secretary who co-ordinates things, who the patient rings up when asking when their appointment is going to be.
“All of these people are the ones that make the hospital tick and perhaps they get recognised less.”

He continued: “All consultants work incredibly hard for patients, but I think that doctors often beat themselves up about the bad stuff and are less good at recognising when they have done stuff well.

“I think these kind of awards are really important just to recognise that loads of great work is being done and a lot of people are going above and beyond.”

THE SPONSORS.

Once again the Shields Gazette and Sunderland Echo is holding the annual awards in partnership with South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.

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The sponsors for this year’s awards include Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), and East Coast Fitness.

THE TIMELINE.

The deadline for all nominations to be submitted is Friday, April 5, and the judges will meet the following week to decide on the shortlist.

The final will be held at the Roker Hotel, in Sunderland, on Thursday, May 9.

HOW TO ENTER.

To nominate, send your name, address and phone number, as well as your email address, if applicable.

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Send the name of the person you wish to nominate, along with their address, telephone number and email (if known).

Remember to include the category you are putting your nominated cause into.

And send a detailed reason as to why you think your nominated person or organisation should be choen as the winner.

There are three ways you can nominate;

* Email those entries to [email protected] .

* Send them to Lynn Wild, Alexander House, Second Floor, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland, DH4 5RA.

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* Nominate online. Visit the website at http://www.nehealthawards.co.uk.

THE CATEGORIES.

l GP or GP Practice of the Year.

l Dentist or Dental Practice of the Year.

l Pharmacist or Pharmacy of the Year.

l Hospital Doctor of the Year.

l Nurse of the Year.

l Optometrist of the Year.

l Therapist of the Year.

l Midwife of the Year.

l Care Worker of the Year.

l Customer Service/Unsung Hero of the Year.

l Community Healthcare Initiative Year.

l Healthier Lifestyle Award.

l Mental Wellbeing Award.

l Lifetime Achievement Award.