Four local NHS Forth Valley staff and teams have been shortlisted as finalists in this year’s Scotland’s Health Awards.

The awards, running for the 23rd year, in partnership with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government, recognise the contribution made by health and social care workers across the country.

Six finalists have been selected in each of 16 separate categories, with the NHS Forth Valley finalists being nominated in the following categories:

Care for Mental Health Award – Ward 5 Nursing Team, Mental Health Unit, Forth Valley Royal Hospital

This nomination recognises a team that embodies NHS values, serving the most vulnerable in our community. The Ward 5 team navigates vast complexity and skilfully manages complex physical and mental disorders simultaneously. The nurses work tirelessly to ensure patients are able to maintain their dignity, quality of life and independence as much as possible and have been described as a truly remarkable team.

Allied Health Professional Award – Susan Bannatyne, Speech and Language Therapist

Susan was nominated for her support of learners with language and communication differences. She works closely with schools to audit collective practice and identifies areas where she can add value. She understands the barriers to engagement faced by families and seeks creative ways to overcome them to ensure the children in her care get the right support at the right time.

Unsung Hero Award, Linda Smullen, Breast Clinic Coordinator

Linda has been nominated for her dedication, compassion and excellence in her role. Her tireless commitment to both staff and patients make her a cornerstone of the clinic and a true asset to NHS Forth Valley. She treats every patient with empathy, understanding the anxiety and fear that can accompany a potential cancer diagnosis.

Volunteers Award, Aaron Smith, Forth Valley First Responders

Aaron was nominated for his commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of patients, carers, and service users of NHS Scotland is truly commendable. Since 2008, Aaron has volunteered countless hours, responding to emergency calls and providing critical care in life-threatening situations. Over the period of 2022/23/24 alone, Aaron dedicated 922 hours to his role, attending 311 emergency calls.

Ross McGuffie, Chief Executive of NHS Forth Valley, said: “I would like to congratulate all four local finalists and thank everyone who took the time to nominate a local team, service or individual for this year’s national awards.

“Making it to the final is a great achievement and I wish our finalists the very best of luck at the award ceremony on 7 November.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Neil Gray said: “Scotland’s Health Awards offer the opportunity to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the extraordinary achievements of those individuals and teams who go above and beyond to deliver compassionate, high-quality health and social care to the people of Scotland.

“As well as celebrating the vital contribution that frontline health and social care staff make, these awards also shine a light on those who work so hard behind the scenes in roles that support the services that make a significant difference to people’s lives across Scotland.”

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 7 November at Edinburgh’s O2 Academy.

Pictured: Ward 5 Nursing Team, Mental Health Unit, Forth Valley Royal Hospital