COPD nurse consultant wins Nursing Standard Nurse of the Year 2013

Published: 13 March 2013

RCN member Matt Hodson has won the overall Nursing Standard Nurse of the Year award for 2013.

Nurse consultant Matt won the innovation in respiratory category and was one of a group of outstanding nursing staff honoured at an awards ceremony last night.

Matt works at Homerton University Hospital in Hackney, East London, where he has set up a life-changing clinic for patients who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“The symptoms can be at least as severe as having lung cancer, while patients’ quality of life and emotional wellbeing is worse,” said Matt.

Recognising there was little support for patients, Matt launched the Breathing Space clinic in 2011.“I try to help them understand that while it is a long-term condition and there is no cure, we can help them to manage their symptoms so they feel better,” he added.

RCN member Gemma Borland, a third year nursing student at Birmingham City University, was awarded the RCN Fellows Andrew Parker Student Nurse Award, while chemotherapy nurse and RCN member Ellie Hodge was chosen by the public to win this year’s Claire Rayner Patient’s Choice Award.

All the winners received their award from television presenter Fiona Phillips at a special ceremony in London.

Other category winners

Bank Nurses (sponsored by NHS Professionals): Debbie Sibley, of College Yard surgery in Gloucester, Gail Winter, of Sevenposts surgery in Cheltenham.
Child Health (sponsored by Tax Refund Company): Raj Jhamat, a learning disability liaison nurse at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Defence Nursing (sponsored by Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps): Lieutenant Colonel Catherine Shephard of the Army Medical Directorate in Camberley, and Captain Mark Reed of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court, Epsom.
Ehealth (sponsored by Vocera Limited): Adrienne Willcox, nurse director of Health Team Ltd, Birmingham.
Health care Assistant (sponsored by RCN Countries): Anne Kiney, health support worker of 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Wigan.
Innovations in Neurology (sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline): Amanda Woodall, a neuromuscular specialist nurse at Salford Royal Foundation NHS Trust.
Innovations in your Specialty (sponsored by RCN Forums): Heather Hasthorpe, rheumatology specialist nurse at Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Foundation Trust.
International Nursing (sponsored by RCN Corporate Affairs): Cerdic Hall, primary care mental health liaison nurse at East London NHS Foundation Trust.
Mental Health (sponsored by the Maudsley Charity and London South Bank University): Shirley Law, director of practice development at the Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling.
Learning Disability Nursing (sponsored by A2A and the Scottish Government): Haringey Learning Disability Nursing Team.
RCN Fellows Andrew Parker Student Nurse Award (supported by a grant in memory of RCN activist, Andrew Parker): Gemma Borland, a third year nursing student at Birmingham City University.
The Florence Nightingale Foundation Chairman’s Award for Compassionate Nursing Care (sponsored by the Florence Nightingale Foundation): Wendy Statter, a district nursing sister at Penny’s Hill Practice in Ferndown, Dorset.
Ward Sister (sponsored by LV): Sara Davis, a ward manager at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley.