Emma Abdulaal – Unsung Hero Awards

Nomination

Award Category:

Corporate Services

Individual or Team Nomination?

Individual

Qualifying Qualities

In these challenging times, nominators were asked to show how the nominee had demonstrated the following qualities:

Exceptional work ethic - going above and beyond their job description, especially in the past 12 months.
Outstanding achievement/s in work or outside of the organisation where relevant.
Drive for innovation and proactive leadership in these challenging times.
High level of interpersonal skills, such as kindness, empathy, loyalty and thoughtfulness to staff and patients.
A resilience considering Covid to their role and to the health and wellbeing of their colleagues.

Nominators Answer

Nominee's story :

From the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, Emma voluntarily stepped up and managed the small communications team and ensured key messages were cascaded in a timely manner. Alongside the huge pressures and demands placed on the team to deliver large quantities of gifts and donations to staff across the Trust, Emma was given six days-notice in late November 2020 to assist with the set up and communications for the first national acute hospital Covid vaccine hub serving staff from the Trust and the local community. Key activities included a mass leaflet drop as well as traditional internal and external communications detailing the arrangements for vaccinating staff and patients. Jan Scott, vaccine hub manager: “Emma has been absolutely amazing over the past year and went above and beyond her comms role, particularly in the past six months while the vaccine hub was in operation. She has been a fantastic support and a key member of the team. It is hard to put in words everything she did. Communications and messages to staff and local public were timely and on-point, and we consequently achieved high levels of staff and public successfully vaccinated.” Despite being on call 24/7 and with no other senior members to share the responsibility and workload, Emma continued to deliver on her day-to-day tasks as well as several large projects. Additionally, Emma worked extensively with the local media and helped develop a strong and positive relationship, which helped ensure key stories and updates were picked up and accurately covered. During the pandemic Emma delivered on a number of high-profile projects including the Think 111 First initiative. This redirected patients to alternative NHS urgent care and minor injury settings to help prioritise and enabled us to treat our sickest patients in the Emergency department. With plans for the annual staff awards having to change, Emma took up the task of rearranging the event to ensure staff were still recognised for the incredible role they played during what had been a very challenging period for the Trust. Instead of the ‘Oscar style’ awards ceremony, Emma arranged for the executive team to hand deliver hampers with goodies for all the winners. The day was captured on social media and created an incredible buzz around the Trust. In addition, Emma was instrumental and worked tirelessly to ensure that every member of staff received a personalised New Year ‘thank you’ pack including a gift voucher and wellbeing day. Chris Evans, Chief Operating Officer: “Emma undertakes her work with positivity and compassion. Despite all the recent demands and challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emma continued to be kind and always brings a smile to those she works with. With a good understanding of her audience Emma always ensures key messages are relayed innovatively which connect and resonate with the reader. Emma carries out her work without seeking praise and is always only too happy to help. It would be fantastic to recognise Emma for all she does!”