Celebrating excellence in nursing and midwifery

Alice Bradley, digital midwife, was named Midwife of the Year for the pivotal role she played in shaping the new transitional care unit, a midwife-led unit that supports newborns who need a little extra care to stay with their families and go home sooner. Her colleagues said her proactive mindset and enthusiasm have driven meaningful change and improvements in care. 
 
Alice said: "I was incredibly honoured and grateful to receive the award. I work alongside some incredible midwives who inspire me every day, so to have been recognised feels amazing. I truly love my work and find so much joy in implementing new systems, then watching them grow and succeed. 
 
"Supporting unwell babies alongside their parents and supporting staff through busy shifts is something I feel deeply passionate about. Being able to provide compassionate, family-centred care during this time is a real privilege." 

Emily Van Hagen is a senior staff nurse on the gynaecology ward at St Thomas' Hospital.  

Her colleagues described the deep compassion she has for the people she cares for, especially families experiencing pregnancy loss, and the meaningful improvements she has made to bereavement care and patient safety.  

Emily said: "I am truly grateful and deeply honoured to be awarded Trust Nurse of the Year. Receiving this recognition means so much to me, and I feel incredibly proud to be acknowledged for doing a role that I am so passionate about.  

"Nursing is not only my profession but a privilege, and I am thankful for the support, encouragement, and teamwork of my colleagues who inspire me every day. I am especially honoured to be able to provide care and support to women and families experiencing pregnancy bereavement, helping them through one of the most difficult moments of their lives with compassion, dignity, and understanding. This award reflects the dedication of the entire team I work alongside."

Rehema Hussain, a named nurse for safeguarding children, won the Community Nurse of the Year award. Her colleagues nominated her for working tirelessly to ensure that children are protected, heard and advocated for, and always keeping their best interests at the centre of everything she does.

She said: "Winning this award is a profound honour. It reflects the collective dedication, expertise and compassion of our safeguarding teams across both community and hospital settings. Nothing we do is ever achieved alone. I'm deeply grateful for the support, challenge, and collaboration that make the work possible, even on the hardest days. 

"What drives me most in my role is the responsibility and privilege of making safeguarding decisions that can change the trajectory of a child or family's life. Safeguarding is about creating safety, stability, and hope for those who are most vulnerable, and ensuring their voices are heard, protected, and centred in every decision. That is the heart of the work, and the reason it matters to me."

Monica Lawson works in the Westminster Suite at St Thomas' Hospital.  

She was named Maternity Support Worker of the year for her 15 years working in the Westminster Suite, working tirelessly behind the scenes and consistently going above and beyond in her role. Her colleagues said her commitment and compassion exemplify the very best of maternity care. 

She said: "Winning the award has made me feel happy that I am recognised for the support and care I give to women and birthing people, their babies, and their families, and the role I play supporting midwives as part of the team."

Chinonyelum Wilson is a senior staff nurse in our Sky critical care ward in Evelina London Children's Hospital. She was nominated for improving transfers between intensive care and the high dependency unit and her work as chair of the Nursing Critical Care Council. In this role delivered tangible outcomes, including fairer annual leave processes and improved access to career breaks. 

She said: "I give Jesus all the glory for this award and I am so grateful to have been a recipient. As I reflect on my journey from being a student nurse trainee to a newly qualified nurse and now a senior staff nurse, one thing that I can definitely say is that this job is meaningful to me. It has grown and developed me as a person in so many ways and I love that I am a student every day, in the sense that I am always learning something new. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to meet and look after so many different children and their families, and that I am a part of a wonderful team."