Clinical Skills Team celebrated for excellence in learning and development

NHS Western Isles is delighted to announce that the NHS Western Isles Clinical Skills Team has been shortlisted for a Nursing Times Workforce Award.

The Nursing Times Workforce Awards recognise the individuals, teams and organisations delivering exceptional work across nursing and midwifery workforce leadership, recruitment, retention, development and workplace culture.

The NHS Western Isles Clinical Skills Team has been shortlisted in the category for ‘Best Workplace for Learning and Development’. This award recognises an organisation that puts staff learning and professional development at the heart of its workforce strategy. 

The team was nominated for this award based on a simulation project, led by Laura Mackay, Clinical Practice Trainer which was carried out with nursing and medical students – Final Act of Care: A Multidisciplinary Simulation Preparing Future Healthcare Professionals for Culturally Sensitive Care After Death.

Healthcare professionals must be prepared to provide compassionate, respectful and culturally sensitive care during this significant stage of the patient journey. However, opportunities to practise these skills before encountering death in clinical practice can be limited, so the team developed this innovative multidisciplinary simulation focusing on the “Final Act of Care" following death.

By preparing students to provide compassionate, culturally responsive care after death, the simulation contributes directly to improving patient and family experiences during one of the most significant moments in healthcare.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Students valued the opportunity to learn about different faiths, beliefs and cultural practices and recognised the importance of understanding how these influence care after death. Participants developed a greater appreciation of the need to recognise and respect the wishes of individuals and families.

Students reported feeling more prepared to encounter death in clinical practice and more confident in providing culturally sensitive care. The supportive environment enabled students to engage openly with a sensitive topic and develop confidence in an unfamiliar clinical skill.

NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, said: “Congratulations to the whole team. This represents a hugely significant and important aspect of our care and support services as we strive to be person centred and able to respond and meet the needs of everyone across our communities through this difficult time."

Everyone at NHS Western Isles congratulates the Clinical Skills Team on this outstanding achievement and wishes them every success at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards ceremony, which will take place at the Hilton London Metropole on Tuesday 24 November.