Record breaking number of CWPT finalists in the Nursing Times Awards
Our finalists showcase excellence in nursing care across learning disabilities, mental health and children's services, as well as inspiring nursing leadership. The next stage will be for our finalists to present to a judging panel ahead of the award ceremony on 22 October. We're wishing all our teams and individuals the very best of luck.
Jodie Boyle, Nurse Manager at Ashby House - Finalist for Nurse Leader of the Year
A learning disability nurse by background, Jodie leads the team at Ashby House, a respite and day centre that provides expert and compassionate care for adults with a learning disability. Jodie is a finalist for Nurse Leader of the Year after being nominated by members of her team and featuring touching testimonials from patients, families and carers who have been impacted by Jodie's care.
Jodie has been driving improvements in staff morale, patient and carer experience, and pioneering new technologies that could have wide- reaching impact across learning disability services at CWPT. This has included installing a new sensory room and exploring the use of eye gaze technology to support service users with profound and multiple learning disabilities to communicate using their eyes.
Alongside all of this, Jodie has worked with senior management to develop the service to support the national target of hospital admission avoidance by ensuring families receive robust support and early help when their circumstances change. Testimonials from carers called Ashby House the 'Rolls Royce of respite' and referred to Jodie as a 'national treasure'.
Jodie said:
"I am so honoured to be nominated and shortlisted for a Nursing Times award. To be nominated by our wonderful staff team and families that we support makes it even more special. I am excited to be able to talk about our service to a national audience."
Think Family Outreach Team - Finalists in Nursing in Mental Health
First set up in January 2021, the Think Family Outreach Team (TFOT) supports children and young people at times of crisis, in a variety of settings, tailoring their offer to each individual's needs. The team offers support, guidance and psych-education skills. TFOT walk alongside young people and their families at a time of vulnerability for them.
Shortlisted in the category for nursing in mental health, the team's nomination recognises the dedication, creativity, and compassion of the team in expanding support for children, young people, and families across Coventry and Warwickshire. Over the past year, TFOT has:
- Launched a pilot day provision, offering an alternative to hospital admission and a longer-term assessment of need.
- Enhanced intervention to provide timely, wraparound support for children and young people in crisis.
- Strengthened multi-agency partnerships.
- Delivered person-centred care in line with national guidance (NHS, 2023), ensuring support is available close to home, individual, educational and at the time required.
This approach has significantly improved outcomes and experiences for young people and their families, particularly during times of acute distress.
Terri Lewis, TFOT team lead, said:
"Being shortlisted is a huge honour and very exciting as team - as the team lead it's a moment of recognition for the resilience, passion, and belief this team brings to the work every day. I am extremely proud of what we've built together, and we hope this is just the beginning of even greater impact."
Improving awareness, documentation and care of bowel movements in learning disabilities and autism - Finalists in Learning Disabilities Nursing
Claire Stickels, Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner is a finalist in the Learning Disabilities Nursing category for leading work to break the taboo around poo.
Constipation is a contributor to death for people with a learning disability (LeDeR reports), and Claire is passionate about reducing health inequalities for some of our most vulnerable patients.
The project followed quality improvement methodology and aimed to identify constipation at an early stage or any changes to bowel habits that could indicate a physical health condition. It also aimed to empower patients and staff alike to have healthy and open conversations regarding their bowel movement and urine health and when to act upon it.
Claire's project led to several improvements including:
- A physical health group and patient forum were established to foster open conversations.
- Patients have been taught to self-report with a patient friendly chart.
- Vinyl stickers added to toilets to help patients identify good and bad bowel movements.
- Standardised chart for staff members to use.
- Staff and patients feel more empowered to talk about bowel movements.
Claire said:
"It is a real honour to be nominated and shortlisted for the Nursing Times Awards in the Learning Disabilities Nursing category. Ensuring that our patients are supported in all aspects of their health and wellbeing - including the taboo around poo- is essential in the overall aim of reducing health inequalities. Although my colleagues' joke that I am the poo nurse, recognising that people with a learning disability die from constipation shows how important it is to highlight these issues and do all we can to support staff and patients. Whatever the outcome I am thrilled that learning disability nursing is being acknowledged and recognised for the wonderful profession that it is."
West Midlands Trauma Vanguard Project, Positive Directions finalists in two categories
The Trauma Informed Vanguard: Positive Directions team has been announced as finalists in two categories at the Nursing Times Awards: Children's Services and The King's Award for Integrated Approaches to Care.
The recognition is for the teams' innovative work in developing new approaches to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people across Coventry and Warwickshire. Specifically, the team's groundbreaking work focussed on embedding trauma-informed care principles into various local voluntary and statutory services, aiming to create a more supportive and understanding environment for children and young people.
Lyn Ranson, Clinical Consultant Lead West Midlands Trauma Vanguard at the ICB, said:
"Being recognised by the Nursing Times in two categories has given external recognition to our project, and the continued drive to share the learning from our Vanguard test and learn sites.
"Being a finalist for such a prestigious award, recognises the local, regional, and national impact of the learning from our project. These nominations are more than a trophy on a shelf. Our pilot project has improved the lives and the outcomes of some of our most disadvantaged young people and families who have experienced trauma.
"For us, being a finalist with the best of the best nationally from across the NHS and Social Care at the 2025 Nursing Times Awards is humbling for myself, the ICB Vanguard Team and our partners at Coventry City Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, as well as our commissioners from NHS England who are so proud of the recognition of our project is achieving nationally."
Of CWPT's success, Mary Mumvuri, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Nurse at CWPT said:
"I am so delighted to see our nurses and nurse led teams being recognised as finalists in the Nursing Times Awards. It is an honour to be able to lead such compassionate, inspiring, and dedicated nurses who are innovating to improve outcomes always aiming to achieve the very best for our patients. It's even more exciting to see this recognised right across the breadth of our services, including learning disabilities, mental health and children's. Congratulations to all our finalists. Alongside everyone at CWPT, we are wishing you the best of luck for the awards ceremony!"