Staff celebrated at annual Quality Awards ceremony
Staff, service users and carers from across the Trust came together on Thursday 5 February for our annual Quality Awards – a special event celebrating the individuals and teams who make a real difference to the people we care for, their colleagues and the wider community.
This year saw a record-breaking response, with more than 500 high-quality nominations submitted and winners recognised across 19 categories. The judging panel – made up of patients, staff networks, members of the Executive Advisory Group and Diversity in Decision Makers – had the difficult task of choosing from so many inspiring entries.
Commenting on the event, Vanessa Ford, Trust Chief Executive, said:
“It was a truly special evening – joyful, moving and very South West London and St George’s. It captured the spirit of who we are: collaborative, inclusive and deeply committed to making life better together.
“Reading this year’s nominations was a powerful reminder that what we do really matters. While we celebrate our winners, there were hundreds of people and teams who could have taken home an award. Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate a colleague or team. It’s easy to rush past moments of kindness or forget to say thank you, but those small acts of appreciation are powerful.”
To ensure every contribution is recognised, individual letters have been sent to all nominees – whether shortlisted or not – so everyone can see why they were put forward. Each nomination reflects the impact our staff make every day, and we are proud to celebrate every one of them.
The ceremony was brilliantly hosted by Ian Jordan, an employment specialist at our Trust, and Lissa Floris-Watkins, one of our lived experience members.
This year’s winners:
Rising Star Award (Student) – Anna Wieczorek & Monica Stewart
Recognised for their exceptional skills as trainee clinical psychologists, Anna and Monica have demonstrated compassion and adaptability in meeting the needs of people with learning disabilities.
Rising Star Award (Staff) – Chelsea Daliling
A liaison psychiatry nurse who has had a “flying start” at the Trust, Chelsea has excelled in her role, showing profound commitment to our patients and values.
Involvement Award – Samiya Mirza
An expert by experience, Samiya has made regular and significant contributions to the perinatal service, supporting patients and staff alike.
Quality Improvement or Innovation of the Year – ASCENT Team
Recognised for their outstanding care and support for people with complex emotional needs.
Community Partnership Award – Sound Minds
A valued community partner whose hospital visiting programme provides compassionate peer support to inpatients.
Health Inequalities, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (Team) – Research and Development Team
Awarded external funding for their EDI programme, led by a dedicated EDI lead delivering research addressing health inequalities.
Health Inequalities, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (Individual) – Noel Brown
Wandsworth Talking Therapies wellbeing lead and Evolve staff network member, Noel was recognised for his exceptional work promoting EDI across the Trust and local community.
Corporate Team of the Year – Involvement Team
Celebrated for embedding co-production at the heart of service development across the Trust.
Clinical Team of the Year (Inpatient) – Halswell Ward
Nominated for their dedication to patient care, innovative approaches to improving the working environment, and commitment to Trust values.
Clinical Team of the Year (Community) – Intensive Outreach Team
A newly developed team focused on preventing hospital admissions for children with eating disorders and facilitating earlier discharge home to families.
Frontline Clinician of the Year – Briony Moore
A senior occupational therapist recognised for exceptional leadership and innovative approaches to improving the OT service.
Unsung Hero (Clinical) – Sai Himaja Kanukollu
An activity worker dedicated to improving life on the ward for colleagues, patients and visitors.
Unsung Hero (Administrator) – Olawole Aribigbola
A member of the Learning and Development team who goes above and beyond at events and careers fairs, while completing his apprenticeship.
Unsung Hero (Corporate) – Yaw Boakye
A pharmacy support worker ensuring medicines are delivered accurately and on time, playing a vital role in patient care.
People’s Choice Award – Joddy Tate
A security officer and receptionist nominated by a carer for his compassion, helpfulness, and respectfulness toward everyone he meets.
Chief Executive’s Leadership Award – Alexandra Phipps, Grace Lai & Justin Earl
Recognised as exceptional leaders who inspire their teams, support colleagues, and drive positive change across the Trust.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Debbie Stinson, Grayson Turner, Jayne Evans & Mala Khan
Celebrating their longstanding commitment and exceptional service to the organisation.
SWLSTG Charitable Fund Award – Lissa Floris-Watkins
A lived experience member and co-host of the ceremony, Lissa raised £1,208 for the Charity by hiking the Bog of Frogs Loop in Ireland.
Special Recognition Awards – Mike Tart & Nicole Appleyard
Mike Tart – Team Leader of the Deaf Adult Community Team for over 28 years, Mike has become a trusted ally for the Deaf community and a role model for colleagues.
Nicole Appleyard – Celebrated for her 10 years of steady leadership, bringing calm, positivity and a warm, collaborative energy to the workplace.
A small selection of photos from the evening.
