Excellence and long service celebrated at summer Quarterly Recognition Event

On Monday 3 August 2026 we were delighted to celebrate the finalists who were selected through our Monthly Recognition programme, alongside recipients of Reporting Excellence nominations and members of Oxford University Hospitals staff who have worked for our Trust for over 35 years.

Our guests were invited to lunch in the bright and airy Oxford Hospitals Education Centre (OxHEC), after which Chief Operating Officer Felicity Taylor-Drewe and Chief Estates and Facilities Officer Lisa Hofen presented certificates and goody bags, all courtesy of Oxford Hospitals Charity and its supporters.

Staff and nominators who were able to attend the event ranged from consultants to housekeepers, and we took some time over lunch to find out why their roles are so important to them.

Quarterly Recognition (Monthly Recognition finalists)

Consultant Anaesthetist Bianca Tingle was nominated for the outstanding way she coordinated care for a child with complex needs. She has been with OUH for six years, and before that she was in training in Oxford. "There’s nothing I don't like about the job" she says, "I'm grateful to be here - Oxford was always where I wanted to work. Mostly I love advocating for my patients, many of whom are children with learning disability."

Trainee Doctor Violeta Yammine was nominated by colleague Eleanor for going above and beyond to make Christmas Day special for Resident Doctors in Acute General Medicine. "They're nice people!" says Violeta, "and I find a little kindness goes a long way."

Katy Powell was nominated for her work as Bereavement Lead in Paediatric Critical Care, in particular her compassion, professionalism and leadership following the unexpected loss of a young child. She talked about the importance of the 'patient voice' within Critical Care. "The challenge is for patients and their families to be heard" she says. "We are concentrating so much on the needs of the child - the needs of their family are also very important."

Thamiris Dutra Godinho, Assistant Nurse Practitioner, was nominated by colleague Jenny for "a list of things… her amazing work supporting patients who come in for what are minor procedures, but are still very anxious. I can see that she loves her job." Tami, who has been with the Trust since 2021, talked about how important it is for our patients to feel reassured when they come in for surgery, and expressed gratitude for the opportunities her manager has put her way.

Katharine House IT Manager Clare Harman was nominated by colleague Srinder for creating a more efficient and secure way of working for Bereavement and Palliative Care services. The Electronic Patient Record is not appropriate in this particular case, as it is families, not patients, who are referred. The new system took around six months to set up, and as well as streamlining the process, the Trust has been saved the cost of buying in software from elsewhere.

Reshma Remanan, Deputy Sister, Urology Outpatients, ensures the department runs smoothly, even during challenging periods. She has worked in Urology for nearly five years. "It's the teamwork," she says, "it's excellent, how they communicate with one another. Everyone is happy to help."

Reporting Excellence

Patient Engagement Lead Lisa Donner was nominated for supporting clinicians producing patient information leaflets. She was praised for being kind and incredibly helpful to authors navigating the process. "It's a small part of my role, but one I'm passionate about," she says. "I do believe good, safe, up-to-date information is a very important part of patient care."

Annaliza Rye, Patient Access Manager in Radiology, enjoys the fact that she can 'make a difference'. From a nursing background herself, patients have always been her focus. "I love innovation", she says, "working smarter, rather than harder, and implementing real-world change."

Jerry Fernandes is the Senior Housekeeper for Ward 5E/F at the John Radcliffe Hospital. "I check my area every morning" says Jerry, "and get everything ready. I don't want to miss anything. Enhanced cleaning is very important for infection control, and the staff know I will always check my area is clean and tidy! Good cleanliness and good food service are essential for proper care."

Long Service Awards

Also enjoying the lunch event were three members of our staff being celebrated for 37 years’ continuous service with the Trust.

Senior Orderly Fiaz Saddiq has worked with Churchill Theatres since April 1989. He talked about the 'wonderful' surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, porters and support staff who have taught him 'the importance of teamwork kindness and dedication'. "Although patients may not always remember my name, I have always been proud to play a part in their care," he says. "Knowing that I have helped people during some of the most important moments of their lives has made this job incredibly meaningful."

Administration and Clerical staff Susan Stoker from the Haematology Laboratory and Lisa Dillon from Clinical Biochemistry also received their certificates. "I've always had a good mix of colleagues and I've just loved it" says Lisa. "I was also able to change my hours when I had a family - I've had brilliant managers."

Staff Recognition at OUH

The Trust has a range of options for staff who want to nominate their colleagues for going above and beyond in caring for our patients and each other. They can find details on our Staff Recognition Hub on the OUH intranet.

Patients or members of the public who want to nominate an individual or team can do so when our Patients' Choice Award nominations open later this year, or recognise a nurse or midwife through the DAISY Foundation Awards programme.

We are so proud of our staff and all they do - it is wonderful to see them celebrate one another.

Pictured: Quarterly Recognition finalists with their certificates