Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Congratulations to Wendy Askew, Senior Occupational Therapist on Ward 15B at Southport Hospital, who is our Employee of the Month winner for July. ⭐ 👏   Wendy’s role as a Senior Occupational Therapist involves working as part of a multi-disciplinary team within Stroke Therapy and Early Support Discharge. She provides specialist assessment, treatment and support for patients with complex physical and cognitive conditions.  Colleagues say Wendy lives our Trust values of being kind, open and inclusive. Over the last 12 months, she has become the ward’s dedicated Wellbeing Champion. She is passionate about the health and wellbeing of her colleagues and helps to identify, promote and signpost resources and services that are available via a dedicated noticeboard, which she updates on a regular basis. At a recent event to mark Learning Disability Awareness Week, the Live to Learn Choir were performing in the Wellbeing Garden, and Wendy, knowing one of her patient’s would benefit from the experience, went out of her way to ensure they could be brought from the ward to enjoy the choir in the sunshine. Thank you, Wendy for making such a difference to our patients and colleagues. Your compassion and professionalism are exemplary and we’re proud of the patient centred care you deliver each and every day. #TeamMWL

Say hello to Sanjumol! 👋 our latest #MWLPeople star! Sanjumol is an Infection Prevention and Control Specialist at Southport Hospital. “I moved to the UK in 2020 after 10 years of working as a staff nurse and ward manager in my home country India. That was during the Covid-19 pandemic which was really difficult, but I felt so wonderfully supported and welcomed by the team when I arrived. After 3 years I moved into my current role as a secondment because I was looking for a new challenge, and an opportunity to make a positive impact. “As a nurse, infection prevention and control is at the heart of what we do, and in my role I use my experiences of delivering direct patient care to understand how to best support our ward staff. The scope of the role is really wide: I conduct daily ward rounds, provide specialist advice and support to staff, monitor the effectiveness of infection prevention processes, educate and train staff, and research and review new medical products such as medical equipment and cleaning items. I also advocate for and contribute to a culture of safety where infection prevention is prioritised. “Throughout my career I’ve been inspired by the Florence Nightingale quote: ‘Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives’. Infection prevention and control is everyone’s responsibility, and we can all do our bit to keep ourselves and others safe – as staff, patients, and visitors. I see my role as helping to empower people to do this. “My favourite thing about MWL is how inclusive it is. It’s not easy to come to a new country and a new culture but I felt very supported, and I’m so happy I made the decision!”

Say hello to Shaun Grady! 👋 our latest #MWLPeople star! Shaun is Medical Hair Loss Consultant at St Helens Hospital. Shaun has worked at our Trust for almost 39 years! “I’m in charge of all hairdressing as well as the wig making and fitting service at MWL. My role is all about supporting patients experiencing hair loss, predominantly those who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, but also for those with alopecia or burns. I’ve done this job for about 25 years now. “Our patients come in before they start their chemotherapy, which means that we’re able to replicate the style they have once they’ve begun their treatment. When they come in for their next appointment at the salon we fit their wig, cut and personalise it for them. They have enough going on without having to worry about changes to their appearance – we want to help give them some sense of normality. “We’re fussy and we want to get it right! Some patients think that because our wigs are provided for free on the NHS that they might be inferior quality, then they are genuinely blown away when they see how high-quality the result is. I’ve been told by patients that their wigs looked so real, their friends haven’t realised they’ve lost their hair! And as their hair grows back we help them with styling it too. “We’re so fortunate we can do this for our patients, here at the Lilac Centre, in an environment where they trust the staff and feel safe. Their feedback means so much. I just love the job, the best part is seeing the genuine surprise and sometimes even happy tears when our patients see the finished wig”.

Our Women's and Children's Division is looking to appoint a new Deputy Director of Nursing at MWL! 💚 You can find out more about the vacancy by clicking the link: https://lnkd.in/eW9cp5YD

Well done to Catering Team Leader for Southport Hospital, Anthony Riley, who took part in the ‘regional heats’ at Trafford College this week for the 2025 NHS Chef of the Year competition. The heats which are held at five locations throughout July and August involve chefs cooking up a storm on a budget of £6-£8, with the 3 course meal needing to be allergen free, plant based and low in carbon.   His menu included: - Roasted Red Pepper & Lentil Soup - Black Bean 'Steak' Burger served with creamy mashed potatoes, caramalised onions and asparagus spears - Seasonal Fruit Oat Crumble Anthony said: "We're given 90 minutes to cook and present the dishes to the judges. It was demanding, but also a really fun day and it was lovely meeting chefs from other hospitals across the North West".   Forget Masterchef, we’re all about Team MWL chef! 👏

To roundup the day, we’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to all our #TeamMWL staff and the NHS as whole for the phenomenal work you do each and every day for our patients and public. 💙 #NHS77 #ThankYouNHS

Today, on the NHS’ 77th Birthday, we’re taking the opportunity to ask our staff and patients why they are thankful for our NHS. 🥰 #NHS77 #ThankYouNHS

Happy 77th Birthday to the NHS!🥳 We are so proud of all our wonderful staff here at MWL and their extraordinary commitment to the NHS is never taken for granted.💙 #TeamMWL #NHS77

A huge well done to our Occupational Therapy (OT) Team at Seddon Suite, St Helens Hospital, who as part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network and have won the ‘Excellence in Rehab and Reablement’ category at the Occupational Therapy Excellence Awards. Ian Rotheroe, who works on Seddon Suite, represented Team MWL, alongside Cate Hammond and Anna Clark from the Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network. The award recognises and celebrates the amazing work of our OTs and the crucial role they play in the rehabilitation of our patients. Congratulations on this fantastic recognition! 👏 #TeamMWL

Say hello to Pat Broughton! 👋 our latest #MWLPeople star! Pat is a Business Support Officer at our Trust and works in our Jubilee Court offices. “I’ve been in this role for eight years now. A friend suggested I apply for a job on the staff bank, and after six months I was enjoying myself so much I decided to apply for a permanent position. “It’s my job to support the teams here with technology. I help new members of staff, doing things like setting up their email accounts or devices that they need to do their jobs. I like problem solving – some fixes I can do myself, and others I liaise with teams like IT to help resolve. “I enjoy how my job means I get to interact with so many people face to face. I like going into work every day – there’s never a day I don’t want to be here! I’m proud to work in a public service, and I feel proud when my family come into our hospitals for treatment knowing that I’m part of the team”. Each week we will be showcasing more of our amazing #MWLPeople working in a wide range of areas across the Trust so stay tuned.