Deputy lead practitioner and theatre sister, Sara Parham, has won a Trust staff award for her peer vaccinator for theatre staff and fundraising. Sara works at the Conquest Hospital theatres, in surgery and anaesthetics Sara was nominated for the award by Tim Leakey, diagnostics, anaesthetics and surgery divisional governance manager and Jayne Cannon, assistant director of nursing surgery, anaesthetics and diagnostics division. Tim said: “As well as volunteering to be the lead peer vaccinator for theatres and vaccinating in excess of 100 members of staff, she also organised the Christmas raffle for theatres, raising £280 of which £250 went to the Conquest Friends MRI appeal and £30 to St. Michael’s hospice. “Sara is also the lead instigator for further education and training in staff and clinical visitors for infection control. She produces ‘Topical Pop-Up’ boards in theatres’ reception that change every few weeks to the topic of the moment e.g. HIV awareness, Hepatitis C etc. If people see something different they often take in the information and want to see what is next - keeping their attention in clinical education that benefits them and the division/Trust. “This also ensures that staff within theatres are also seeing further education that is not directly within the remit of theatres and learning from other areas. Sara also manages the Theatres Infection Control departmental education board that is constantly changing with the most up-to-date Trust and National information on pertinent Infection Control information – changed into readable and colourful format so that staff will visualise, identify with and read. “Change and education of staff is always a good idea to improve standards and is a part of good governance. As these have all been instigated by Sara herself, this is above and beyond and is not often seen within departments in the Trust and should be commended.” Sara was presented with her award by Trust Chairman, David Clayton-Smith. Benefit from an ongoing discount on your Hastings Observer by joining our voucher membership scheme. Once you’ve subscribed we’ll send you dated vouchers which can be exchanged for your paper at any news outlet. To save money on your Hastings Observer simply click here (www.localsubsplus.co.uk).