The cream of Northern Ireland’s healthcare industry took a bow last Thursday night as the 17th annual Northern Ireland Healthcare Awards once again descended upon the Europa Hotel in Belfast. The glittering gala grants the province’s healthcare professionals the opportunity to highlight their own work and to receive the accolades of their peers. This year were delighted to include our dental professionals to the agenda for the first time.
Organised by Medcom, publishers of pharmacy and healthcare magazines across the UK, the awards provide the chance for NI’s healthcare professionals to showcase their work in front of many of the profession’s current movers and shakers.
Among those receiving awards this year was Dr Jim Morrow, recently retired Consultant Neurologist, from the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast, BHSCT.
Dr Morrow received the Special Recognition Award, which was sponsored by ABPI Northern Ireland, for his outstanding contribution to the treatment of people with epilepsy, both in Northern Ireland and globally. Indeed, this award was added to a stream of honours which Dr Morrow has picked up throughout the course of his distinguished career. The award was presented by the Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride and his speech prompted cheers from the audience who took to their feet in recognition of Dr Morrow’s well-deserved accolade.
‘Dr Morrow is extremely deserving of this award,’ said Colette Goldrick, Chair of ABPI Northern Ireland, which sponsored this award. ‘Throughout his career he has focused – and continues to focus even in retirement – on improving the health of the people with epilepsy at a regional, national and international level by increasing knowledge and by influencing clinical and public health practice and policy. His commitment to what he does is outstanding and he is a deserving winner.’
The complete list of winners was as follows:
Winners 17th Northern Ireland Healthcare Awards
- Innovations in Quality & Efficiency through Technology in Northern Ireland Health Care, sponsored by Microsoft Ireland. Winner: Dr Tom Lynch & Experior E-Learning Platform Team – incorporating all Health Board Trusts.
- Epilepsy Project of the Year, sponsored by UCB Pharma. Winner: Sandra Wylie & Clare McCooe – Learning Disability Services, Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
- Pharmacy Student Leadership Award, sponsored by the Pharmacists Defence Association. Winner: Ing Ho Kong, Queen’s University Belfast.
- Dental Hygienist/Therapist of the Year, Sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline. Winner: Deirdre Canavan, Community Dental Services, South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust.
- Hospital Pharmacist of the Year, sponsored by BOC Healthcare. Winners: Stephen Curran and Chris Black, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust.
- Innovative Clinical Services in Community Pharmacy, sponsored by Pharmacy Life. Winner: Randalstown Pharmacies Limited, Randalstown.
- Asthma Project of the Year, sponsored by Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited.
Joint winners: Michael O’Neill & the Omagh Asthma Project Team – Omagh Health Centre and Kathy Hetherington – Regional Respiratory Clinic, Belfast City Hospital & Queens University Belfast.
- Dental Practice of the Year, sponsored by Southern Cross Dental. Winner: Appletree Dental Care Newry.
- Clinical Leadership Team of the Year, sponsored by Medcom. Winner: Dr Rose Sharkey & the Respiratory Team – Western Health & Social Care Trust.
- Special Recognition Award, sponsored by ABPI (Northern Ireland). Winner: Dr Jim Morrow, Consultant Neurologist, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
