Two students from the University of Worcester have been shortlisted for national awards.
Kate Massey, from Evesham, and Kate Robson, from Tenbury Wells, are shortlisted in the Health Education England HEAT Awards.
The Awards celebrate the importance education, training, leadership and workforce planning play in delivering high-quality compassionate healthcare in the NHS. The winners will be announced on 18 July at a ceremony in London.
Mother-of-three Kate Massey, who lives in Honeybourne, has just completed her Midwifery degree at the University. She is shortlisted for most Inspiring Student.
“It’s a real privilege to be shortlisted,” she said. “I loved my time at University and I’m really going to miss it – though of course I’m excited now about become a midwife.”
Kate, a former police officer, took the decision to re-train once her three children were all at full time school.
“When I was pregnant with my second child I gave up my job in the police to be a full time mum, and to also care for a family friend who had cancer,” said the 38-year-old. “It was that family friend, who has sadly since passed, who encouraged me, once the children were at school, to pursue midwifery – something I’d always talked about.”
Lynne Mason, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, said: “Kate came to mind immediately as a nominee for these awards because she lives out the values that underpin midwifery and the NHS by doing everything possible to support the health, wellbeing and happiness of the women and families she cares for and the colleagues with whom she works.”
Kate Robson, a mother-of-two from Tenbury Wells, recently qualified as one of the County’s first Nursing Associates. She has been shortlisted for most Inspiring Apprentice.
“I’m really overwhelmed to have been nominated, let alone shortlisted, for this award,” said the 48-year-old. “I’m so glad I made the decision to just go for it. I hadn’t studied since leaving school, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and now I have a really wonderful new job.”
Kate, who lives in Burford, was working as a Health Care Support Worker at Tenbury Community Hospital when she was offered the chance to become a Nursing Associate, a role created by the Government to meet the changing health and care needs of patients and the public and help bridge the gap between health and care assistants and registered nurses.
“I didn’t really know what the role was at that stage,” she admits. “But the opportunity to gain new skills and take a step closer to becoming a Nurse was really inviting. And I absolutely have no regrets, it has been the most incredible journey.”
Having been out of education for many years, Kate said she was apprehensive about the idea of academic study, but says the support she received from family, friends, colleagues and the University of Worcester, enabled her to flourish.
Kate was supported to study by her employer, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, and after qualifying was able to return to Tenbury hospital in her new role.
Ally Middleton, Clinical Project Manager (Nursing Associate) at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “I am really proud of Kate and her journey to become a Nursing Associate. She is an ambassador for the role and continues to deliver high quality patient care. She is a very deserving nominee, and regardless of the outcome at the awards ceremony she certainly is an inspiration to those around her.”
Worcester has an outstanding reputation for health education and has been shortlisted five times as Nurse Education Provider of the Year in the Student Nursing Times Awards.
The University’s Three Counties School of Nursing and Midwifery has a limited number of places available to study this September on a range of health-related courses.