8th July 2026
Two staff from the Southern Trust have received national recognition at the prestigious Our Health Heroes Awards.
Organised by the charity Skills for Health, the ceremony is dedicated to celebrating the vital contributions of the wider, healthcare workforce.
Kerry Haughian was named the Gold winner in the Operational Support Worker of the Year category.
Kerry Haughian was named the Gold winner in the Operational Support Worker of the Year category in recognition of her leadership and support throughout the transition to encompass, the Trust’s biggest digital transformation programme.
As Personal Assistant to the Head of Service and Lead Nurse for Specialist Services within the Children and Young People’s department, judges noted that she played a critical role in maintaining the smooth running of complex divisions, providing practical support and training to colleagues across multiple teams and helped resolve system issues.
Teresa Mackle from Oaklands Children’s Short Break Unit was recognised in the Outstanding Lifetime Contribution honours as a Bronze winner, celebrating an extraordinary career spanning 50 years within the Trust.
Teresa Mackle was bronze winner in the Outstanding Lifetime Contribution honours.
For more than three decades, Teresa has supported children and young people with learning and physical disabilities. The panel noted: “Teresa exemplifies the very best of NHS values. Her unwavering dedication, compassion and leadership over many years have made a lasting difference to the lives of young people, families and colleagues, making her a thoroughly deserving recipient.”
Colm McCafferty, Director of Children, Young People and Women’s Services said:
“We are incredibly proud of Kerry and Teresa on this well-deserved recognition. Their awards reflect not only their exceptional individual contributions, but also the dedication, compassion and professionalism demonstrated every day by my colleagues within this department.”