Physios pick up prizes at prestigious awards ceremony

^{Gillian Rawlinson (middle) receives her award from (left) Meradin Peachey, Faculty of Public Health vice president, and Alison Strode, Welsh government therapy advisor}

Gillian Rawlinson, advanced MSK physiotherapy practitioner at Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust, and Lisa Roberts, associate professor and consultant physiotherapist at the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, were both judged winners at the Advancing Healthcare Awards, which is open to allied health professionals and healthcare scientists.

Ms Rawlinson won the Faculty of Public Health and Public Health England award for contributions to public health, for the work she and her colleagues in Salford have done in providing health checks and diabetes prevention assessments within specialised physiotherapy services.

The judges said the programme demonstrated how well physios could promote healthy living and identify people at risk.

Professor Roberts was the winner in the Health Education England/National Institute for Health Research for research champions category.

She has worked locally and nationally to develop physios and other AHPs to bridge the clinical-academic gap and become effective researchers and users of research findings, through providing leadership, practical support, mentorship and strategic guidance.

The judges said Professor Roberts had helped to foster a cohort of clinical academics who were committed to improving patient care.

Other physiotherapists to be recognised at the awards were Tharma Ayton, clinical lead physiotherapist, and Alison Robinson, clinical specialist physiotherapist, at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. They were named runners-up in the Macmillan award for leadership and innovation in cancer rehabilitation.

Stephanie Pye, Macmillan physiotherapist at the North Manchester Macmillan Palliative Care Support Service, was also a runner-up in this category.

Eleanor Douglas, advanced practitioner physiotherapist at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust was named runner up in the Scottish government’s award for improving quality: measuring and demonstrating impact.

Senior pelvic health physiotherapist at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, Myra Robson, and Emma Cork, physiotherapist at Northern Devon Healthcare Trust, were named runners-up in the Chamberlain Dunn Learning award for entrepreneurship.

Other runners-up were Mathew Tidball, lead physiotherapist at the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, in the Welsh Government prudently advancing practice award; and Julie Spashett, physiotherapy assistant, at East Sussex NHS Trust, in the NHS Employers award for outstanding achievement by an apprentice, support worker or technician working alongside an AHP or healthcare scientist.