16th May 2024
Paediatric staff from the Southern Health and Social Care Trust have enjoyed success at this year’s NI PAFTAs (Paediatric Awards for Training Achievements).
The Trust had a number of winners as well as multiple nominees from both Craigavon and Daisy Hill sites at the prestigious ceremony.
The PAFTAs were established by the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health (RCPCH) in 2017 to recognise excellence in paediatric medical training and is now a well-established annual event.
Dr Eimear McCorry was awarded the Senior Trainee Hero award. Her nomination said that she is “a joy to work with; an absolute inspiration; she is a role model, has a love for learning and is a complete hero”.
Dr Sinead Callaghan received the Runner Up in the Best Educational Supervisor category and was said to “put great importance on trainees and when working with her she is an excellent educator and the trainee always learn a lot from her”.
Erin McAlinden, who works as a Domestic in Blossom, received the Runner Up prize in the Non-Clinical Hero category. Her nomination described her “all her job requirements are completed to a high standard, and no request is ever a bother to her. She really cares about patients and families and will go the extra step to make sure they have everything they need”.
Craigavon Area Hospital was named Runner Up in the Training Unit of the Year category and was described as “a fantastic training unit” as they have “multiple teaching sessions a week, sims at least twice a month and I can see myself improving week on week”.
Dr Sarah Rafferty ST6 Paediatric Trainee with the Trust and PAFTA Chairperson, said:
“The NI PAFTA committee wanted to make these awards inclusive of all professions and so over the last number of years have continually expanded to reach many pockets of paediatrics inclusive of clinical and non-clinical staff, recognising that every staff member has a valued role and is an important piece of the puzzle to delivering the best care we can to children.
“Each year the committee welcome staff to nominate colleagues who have made a positive contribution to Paediatrics in Northern Ireland and embody the values of RCPCH through Innovation, Influence, Inclusivity and Leadership. This initiative has brought some much-needed joy to the workplace by boosting morale, helping staff feel valued and respected and the chance to celebrate together at the awards event.”
The winners of the three paediatric training categories (Junior trainee, Senior Trainee and Educational Supervisor) will go forward to represent NI at the national awards.
Colm McCafferty, Director of Children and Young People’s Service, said:
“We are very proud of our paediatric colleagues in all that they do for our patients and in addition for creating an environment for our trainees which is conducive to facilitating this type of positive feedback.”