Jill Kyle becomes proud recipient of Royal Surrey’s first Chief Nursing Officer award for Healthcare Support Workers | News

Jill Kyle, Lead Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) in Practice Development, is celebrating being the first HCSW at Royal Surrey to receive an HCSW award from Dame Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England.

Whilst others at Royal Surrey have received Chief Nursing Officer awards for nursing and midwifery, Jill is one of only 203 people out of 152,425 nationally to receive one in the Healthcare Support Worker category, and hers is one of only 50 awards in the South of England.

Healthcare support workers are at the heart of clinical settings in local communities up and down the country, making a difference to the everyday lives of the patients they care for, and the nursing colleagues they support.

Jill joined the Trust following the pandemic, having previously enjoyed a successful career in retail management. She has been in post for two and half years and her valuable prior experience in managing and supporting teams has seen her progress quickly, from looking after patients on the wards, to a unique role in the Practice Development team, where she supports new cohorts of HCSWs during their induction. Jill also delivers bite-size education as well as sharing her hands-on practical experiences of providing exceptional care to patients.

Presenting the prestigious award to Jill, Jo Mountjoy, Chief Nurse, said:

“Jill is a trailblazer and an exemplar of outstanding behaviour and performance at Royal Surrey.

“The Chief Nursing Officer award recognises the vital contributions of HCSWs, and their exceptional support of nursing practice, acknowledging those individuals who consistently demonstrate the NHS values and behaviours when fulfilling their everyday roles, providing excellent patient care.

“Congratulations to Jill on this well-deserved achievement.”

Reflecting on her achievement, Jill said:

“Receiving this award shows that at any age you can change direction and do something really rewarding. I work on the wards with patients but also in Practice Development, training others, and I love encouraging and supporting other people, which is what makes my role so enjoyable.

“It has been wonderful to have the opportunity to develop a new career in the NHS and give something back. I would encourage people of any age to consider following in my footsteps.

“I am thrilled to receive the first HCSW award for Royal Surrey. I believe it is incredibly important that support staff are recognised for delivering exceptional patient care, in the same way as nurses.”