Plaudits for stroke research team in the Nursing Times Awards 2017

Research nurses from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's stroke research team have been named as finalists in the Nursing Times, one of the most coveted accolades in the healthcare industry.

The team are one of ten to have been shortlisted in the Clinical Research Nursing Category, which is sponsored by the NIHR Clinical Research Network.

It follows intensive efforts by the team to give more people who suffer from stroke the opportunity to take part in research. 

The stroke research team said they were “absolutely thrilled” to have been nominated for the Clinical Research Nursing award after significantly increasing the number of research trials patients being cared for at the Trust for a stroke can take part in.

The team attended consultant ward rounds and clinical meetings, ran training sessions and shared an office with the clinical stroke team to keep those on the stroke unit, speech and language therapists, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other research nurses up to date with potential new trials and ongoing studies that their patients could take part in.

Emma Richards, Senior Stroke Research Sister at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been recognised for this award. Between 2016 and 2017 Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were the fourth highest recruiter to stroke research nationally out of 188 centres.

"Stroke can affect anyone at any age and can have devastating effects not only on patients but on their family or carers. By championing research to a wide range of professionals, every patient who is being treated or recovering from a stroke within our Trust is now eligible to take part in research if they wish to do so.”

The Nursing Times Awards recognise excellence in nursing and patient care, with this year’s event to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 2 November.

ENDS