STAFF members at Holy Cross Hospital took centre stage at the annual awards ceremony to celebrate a year of learning and development.

Training is central to the hospital’s commitment to attract and keep motivated and capable staff. Its highly dependent patients have complex medical needs and keeping staff up to date with the latest practices and knowledge is crucial.

In his welcome speech, chief executive Dr Ross White reflected on the development of nursing from Florence Nightingale’s ambitions over 150 years ago and the 1919 Nurses Registration Act, to the highly skilled and regulated profession of 2019.

Dr White said: “We embrace the learning and development of our medical and non-medical staff because it greatly advances the level of care we can provide and improves the outcomes for our patients.

“The range of services we can offer and the options for treatment and therapies only ever expand as a result of what we learn and through our professional development.

“Investing in our staff’s professional development is of the utmost importance at Holy Cross and we think that is worth celebrating together.”

More than 12 staff members were presented with certificates and prizes for training courses, ranging from neuro-rehabilitation to advanced respiration, from physiotherapy for the pelvic floor to management leadership, and from mediation and human resources to hydrotherapy.

Former Holy Cross matron Sister Mary Agnes, a member of the hospital’s management team, joined senior staff nurse Helen Evans to share their experiences of nursing training in the 1950s and the 2000s.

Their speeches at the prize giving revealed that while the focus, techniques and curriculum may have changed and the role of nurses expanded – moving from providing care to taking part in clinical decision making – the high standards and rigour have remained a constant.

*Information about career opportunities at Holy Cross Hospital can be found at www.holycross.org.uk.