About the Staff REACH Awards 2025
REACH (Recognising Excellence and Achievement in Combined Healthcare) celebrates our staff, service user representatives and carers over the past year.
The 2025 awards took place on 13 November at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Stoke-on-Trent.
For those not able to attend in person, the whole event was broadcast live and you can now watch the livestream from the evening here. You can also view the playlist of all the awards, where both the highly commended and winner were announced, here.
We are delighted to have presented REACH in partnership with our new main event sponsor, Dedalus.
We are also grateful for awards and event sponsorship from the following organisations:
- Interclass
- LEDsynergy
- Port Vale FC
- RLDatix
- Rowtype Printers Ltd
- SERCO
- Stoke City FC
- Town Hospitals Ltd
- UNISON
- Browne Jacobson
The awards and winners
Diversity and Inclusion Award
(Sponsored by Stoke City FC)
Criteria
This award recognises the contribution of staff and volunteers who have made a positive difference in developing greater diversity and inclusion. This might be improving access and experience to services or employment for people in disadvantaged or minority groups, improving quality of life or quality of working life.
Winner:
Sarah Lawton, Ward 6
“Since being in post Sarah has been dedicated to implementing more knowledge around diversity and inclusivity. On Ward 6 we have a diverse workforce from all different cultures and Sarah wanted to bring us all together. Sarah has empowered staff to teach each other about their cultures and everyone has been involved in each other’s celebrations. Teamwork has improved massively on the ward and it now feels like we all know each other better. As an impact of that we can then give the best care possible to our patients.”
Highly Commended:
Children’s Community Learning Disability Team
“The children’s community learning disability team is deeply committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, recognising the significant health inequalities faced by children with learning disabilities and their families. Their commitment to continuous improvement ensures that services evolve in response to the voices of children, families, and partner organisations, keeping care relevant and effective.”
Leading with Compassion Award
(Sponsored by Rowtype)
Criteria
This award recognises a member of staff who values and develops people, sees them as individuals and encourages working together for better lives through an open and honest approach.
It recognises an individual who has demonstrated compassionate leadership with patients, colleagues or their wider team.
Winner:
Dr Jason Lines, Mental Health Liaison Team
“Jason is a valued member of the mental health liaison team who always leads with compassion. Jason is very compassionate and makes an effort to see problems from the staff member’s point of view, empathise with them and address them with higher management in a constructive manner to instigate positive change if the staff member is comfortable with this. Jason is the definition of compassion. He is not only attuned to the needs of the team but also to the needs of individual team members.”
Highly Commended:
Dr Hannah Cowan, Older People’s Community Mental Health
“Dr Cowan leads with compassion in everything she does. At times of chaos or crisis, Dr Cowan is the voice of calm, compassion and cohesion. Hannah was compassionate to myself when I was managing the demands of the course with my new role as a father. Her knowledge of psychological models is excellent. She is always approachable and goes out of her way to check in with those she supervises.”
Learner of the Year Award
(sponsored by RL Datix)
Criteria
This award recognises and celebrates our learners and the contribution they make to Combined and its service users.
This award is open to students, apprenticeships and anyone studying as part of their role across the Trust.
Winner:
Charis Hancock, Mental Health Liaison Team
“From the outset of her apprenticeship, Charis has exemplified an unwavering commitment to the Trust’s values, particularly leading with compassion. Whether working with patients, supporting colleagues, or engaging with the wider multi-disciplinary team, she consistently demonstrates empathy, respect, and a person-centred approach that places the individual at the heart of care. Charis is an absolute pleasure to work with and is an inspiration to all. She is always motivated to learn and develop and works hard to achieve her knowledge and skills.”
Highly Commended:
Ella Baddeley, Mental Health Nursing
“Ella immediately stood out for her openness, compassion, and a genuine passion for supporting people. She is deeply committed to making services better for those who use them, and her drive to contribute meaningfully was evident throughout her time with us. From the beginning, Ella was willing to get stuck in and quickly became an integral part of the team. She is not only brave enough to stand up for what she believes in, but also humble enough to seek support and welcome learning opportunities.”
Lived Experience Shining Star Award
(Sponsored by Town Hospitals Ltd)
Criteria
This award recognises an individual who has lived experience of mental distress or who has accessed mental health services and champions recovery values, inspiring hope and supporting others to be the best version of themselves.
Winner:
Michele Nicholson, Peer Support
“Michele’s story is not just one of personal recovery, but of transformation through the power of her lived experience role. She is proud of her mental health journey and does not hide the difficult parts – instead, she uses them to inspire and educate others. Her willingness to speak openly about both progress and pain helps break down stigma and gives others permission to do the same.”
Highly Commended:
Justyna Novak-Rowcliffe, Peer Support
“They are such a team player, always with a listening ear, kindness, generosity and a true heartfelt desire to help clients and team members. They brighten up every room they enter. They are totally giving, kind, warm, empathic and intuitive to boot.”
Partnership Award
(sponsored by Interclass)
Criteria
This award showcases how an individual or team can work in partnership to produce results to improve the lives of others. Successful individuals or teams will have broken down professional barriers across the trust and/or with partner organisations, leading to a positive impact on the experience of service users.
Winner:
Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) Mental Health Team, Hanley, Bucknall and Bentilee Primary Care Network (PCN)
“I am nominating Daniel Farmer and Harriet Bree in recognition of their outstanding collaboration with the YMCA to support some of the most vulnerable young people in our community. I approached Dan to discuss the concerns raised and he took the initiative to raise it with his PCN and develop and pilot a weekly drop-in clinic at the YMCA. Dan and Harriet have shown unwavering commitment, attending the drop-in every week without fail. It took time to build trust, but through their consistent presence, empathy, and persistence, they have broken down barriers and established strong, meaningful relationships with residents who are often difficult to engage.”
Highly Commended:
Stoke-on-Trent Youth Collective
“The Stoke-on-Trent Youth Collective are an organisation that have welcomed Combined to help shape the opportunities for children and young people in the local area. The Youth Collective meet monthly and host over 100 different organisations to showcase the range of opportunities for children and young people. They work in line with our Trust values, put children and young people at the centre of their work and are overall proud to care. Everything they do is to raise the standard of opportunities for children and young people, bringing passionate individuals together and sharing opportunities.”
Proud to CARE Award
(sponsored by Serco)
Criteria
This award recognises someone who exemplifies our Proud to CARE values: compassionate, approachable, responsible and excellent. Staff vote to decide the final winner from a shortlist.
Winner:
Dr Bethan Brace, Greenfields Adult Community Mental Health Team
“To work with a doctor that is so genuinely compassionate about her patients is wonderful; and a privilege. Not only does the level of care for her patients exceed expectations, this also spills into the people she works with too. She was born to care! Dr Brace’s compassion shines throughout the day with the patients and within the team. She is so approachable and she allows you to feel you can call on her whatever the situation, the support is always there. I don’t know what the team would do without her. I would like to see Dr Brace receive this award to show her that her commitment to the team, the kindness and compassion she shows and her amazing caring personality is recognised and celebrated!”
Highly Commended:
Lisa Nagington, Quality Improvement
“Lisa’s belief in the Trust values is evident in all that she does on a daily basis. Nothing is too much trouble when it comes to Lisa supporting others because she cares so deeply for the quality of care we deliver to patients and for the wellbeing of staff. Lisa offers a consistent, firm but fair approach, she consistently offers a warm, listening ear for anyone who needs it. Lisa is a truly special nurse, she believes that nothing is unachievable, she has a true passion for our services and believes they can be truly outstanding and will never give up regardless of challenges, she is an absolute asset to our trust.”
Research and Innovation Award
(sponsored by Dedalus)
Criteria
This award recognises innovation or achievement in research and development or practice which has a positive impact on mental health care or improves quality or value for money services through innovative approaches.
Winner:
Children’s Community Learning Disability Team
“The children’s community learning disability team deserve to win the Research and Innovation Award due to their exceptional commitment to pioneering evidence-based practices and innovative service development that significantly enhance independence and the emotional, physical and mental health care for children with learning disabilities. The children’s community learning disability team’s commitment to innovation and research directly enhances the safety, accessibility, person-centredness, and recovery focus of their care.”
Highly Commended:
Enhanced Support Suite Project Team
“This project sits at the forefront of inpatient care for young people for mental health, eating disorders and learning disabilities. This new model of care for young people at their most vulnerable reflects the Trust values at their highest aspiration, by creating a unit that is therapeutically always driven for young people throughout their stay within the Darwin by extending the clinical capacity of the multi-disciplinary team, the range of therapies on offer and embedding this as part of the culture within the unit.”
Rising Star Award
(sponsored by Dedalus)
Criteria
This award recognises emerging exceptional leaders who are exceeding expectations and making change happen. The award aims to recognise the influencers of today, and the senior leaders of tomorrow.
Winner:
Boluwatife Adeoye, Organisational Development
“Boluwatife’s journey within the Trust exemplifies what it truly means to be a rising star. Starting as an admin apprentice, Boluwatife has shown remarkable growth, professionalism, and initiative at every stage of their career. In parallel, they stepped forward to become Deputy Lead for the ENRICH Network, an inclusion network supporting ethnically diverse staff. Boluwatife is not only a rising star she is a force for positive change within the Trust. Her leadership is values-driven, inclusive, and quietly powerful.”
Highly Commended:
Molly Mansfield, Communications Team
“If there is an epitome of a rising star, it is Molly. We know and witness first hand how Molly is more often than not the first port of call for people contacting the comms team, because they know that if Molly doesn’t know the answer, she will know who in the team is the correct person to speak to. If the true test of a rising star is that their current ability is only outshone by the potential they show for growth and development – Molly passes the test with flying colours. It is, of course, no accident that as the winner of this award is read out, Molly will be hard at work delivering the REACH ceremony itself.”
Service User and Carer Council Award
(sponsored by Interclass)
Criteria
Nominations can only be made by Service Users and Carers. This award values individual or teams who stand out from the crowd for being thoughtful, for listening and responding to our service users’ needs.
Winner:
Jaime Lowe, Neuropsychiatry
“Jaime, Dr Sridharan and all of the team in neuropsychiatry are very approachable, listen and respond to both my son (service user) and me as his carer. Either Jaime or her team will always let us know if there is a change in my son’s appointment or at least have a chat on the phone if she is unable to visit. We couldn’t ask for more. Neuropsychiatry have been such a breath of fresh air after being under secondary mental health. Nothing is too much trouble for them. They are always pleasant, approachable and compassionate. Jaime and their team have always been helpful, kind and understanding. We have been so grateful for their support over the past years and feel the team, especially Jaime, has really helped both my son’s and my wellbeing.”
Highly Commended:
Parent Engagement Group in Stoke (PEGiS)
“PEGiS is vital a life line for parents. I don’t know where I’d be without the knowledge of PEGiS. As a mum/carer to 3 children with additional needs the support and knowledge is valuable to myself and many parents on what can be the most daunting journey. It brings parents together going through the same struggles, Michelle is always a message away and they arrange meetings with professionals which not only gives us the chance to ask questions but helps us understand the system and know what services are around.”
Team of the Year Award
(sponsored by Port Vale FC)
Criteria
This award is given to a team which shows, through their actions and approaches, how they work together to improve the lives of others and demonstrate creative approaches to problem solving.
Winner:
Substance Misuse Inpatients Team
“The Edward Myers Unit team exemplifies the power of partnership working both within the Trust and with external organisations, leading to significant improvements in the lives of their service users. I have witnessed first-hand their incredible resilience and dedication. Despite facing ongoing challenges this team never loses sight of their mission to provide the best care possible. They have built a supportive, inclusive culture where every member is encouraged to grow, innovate, and contribute. This team is not just a group of professionals‚ they are a family committed to making a lasting positive impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.”
Highly Commended:
CAMHS Eating Disorders Team
“The team have continued to show resilience against lots of challenging odds, such as increased referrals, implementing a new pathway for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, and decreased staffing numbers. It is evident that they go above and beyond for the families and young people that they work with to continue to implement timely interventions. They are a team with lots of knowledge and skills and it shows in the way they impart that knowledge to other staff. They continue to show compassion and care despite the challenges, for both staff and service users.”
Unsung Hero Award
(sponsored by UNISON)
Criteria
This award pays tribute to an individual who has exceeded the expectations of their role with an outstanding attitude and behaviour. Working behind the scenes, or in a supportive role, they have a positive attitude and, through their actions, help to make a difference to others.
Winner:
Dave Norcup, Performance and Business
“Dave is approachable, professional and flexible. He demonstrates an excellent understanding not only of his own role but also of the wider directorate. Despite not being a clinician, he consistently considers clinical perspectives and helps others interpret data in a meaningful way. His ability to connect data insights with the broader context of patient care and service delivery makes a real difference in driving improvements. Dave always has a can-do and positive approach to everything, he is accessible, kind, considerate and consistent.”
Highly Commended:
Joint winners – Julie Chapman, Mental Health Liaison Team and Jenny Reynolds, Discharge Pathway Lead Management
“In the vital work of mental health support, there are individuals who quietly but powerfully make a difference‚ not with fanfare, but with compassion, consistency, and an unwavering sense of purpose. Today, we recognise one such individual from our mental health liaison team: Julie Chapman, our admin. Working behind the scenes, this person has exceeded every expectation of their role. Their calm, thoughtful presence brings reassurance to both colleagues and patients in the most challenging of times. They don’t just support the system‚ they strengthen it, holding space for others with empathy, dignity, and professionalism. Julie, your work matters. You matter. And your quiet dedication has not gone unnoticed.”
“Jenny, our Discharge Pathway Lead is a true unsung hero‚ working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure patients experience safe, timely, and compassionate transitions from hospital to home or community care. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, Jenny consistently goes above and beyond the expectations of her role. Whether navigating complex discharge arrangements, coordinating with multiple services, or advocating for patients with unique needs, she does so with empathy, professionalism, and grace. Jenny doesn’t seek recognition‚ but she absolutely deserves it. Her dedication, humility, and impact make her a true unsung hero of our Trust.”
Chair’s Award
Criteria
This special award is chosen by Combined Healthcare’s Chair, Janet Dawson, from all of the evening’s winners.
This award goes to the individual or team who the Chair believes deserves special recognition in their own field.
Winner:
Dr Jason Lines, Mental Health Liaison Team
Photo gallery
Highlights from the evening
