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Four outstanding medical staff have been shortlisted for a coveted award, and the  chance to be crowned North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust's Health Hero 2026. 

Colleagues from Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon have been shortlisted for the award on the back of positive testimonials from patients they have treated and cared for.

The Health Hero is the only category in the Trust's Outstanding Achievement Awards where hospital staff are nominated by the public.

This year's shortlist of health heroes - who say their nominations are made all the more special because of the public and patient connection - includes two nurses, a health care assistant and a hospital at night matron. However, all say modestly that they are 'only doing their job'.

Nursing associate from Peterborough's Amazon Ward, Hannah Chapman, has used her own trauma to bring comfort, care and understanding to other families.

When Hannah's brother sadly passed away from a rare genetic disease, it led her to pursuing a career in nursing. “I thought about all the people who had helped me and my family during that time, and because of that I wanted to help others experiencing similar challenges.”

Hannah's nominator describes herself as a 'grateful mum'. She said: “Hannah's care has meant so much to our family during one of the scariest periods of our lives.”

The nominator's daughter suffers from the same rare genetic disease as Hannah's brother. She added: “Professionals like Hannah are invaluable.”

It was the urgent yet calming actions and steady reassuring voices of Hinchingbrooke Hospital colleagues, healthcare assistant Sam Craigie and night matron Anna Jardim that led to their nomination - after assisting a pregnant woman who gave birth in the hospital car park!

 

The event, in the early hours of Easter Saturday this year, sparked the quick response by Sam and Anna who were passing by the car park. 

Their actions supported the woman safely to the ground and gently retrieved the baby boy from her clothing and placing him on her chest in the moments before emergency department and labour ward staff arrived. 

The nominator said: “In what could have been a moment of panic, Sam and Anna's composure and kindness brought an immediate sense of safety.”

Being viewed by a patient as their 'safe person' is an amazing testament to any hospital staff member - none more so than for Short Stay Unit Nurse Sinead Southwell.

Sinead received her Health Hero nomination from an epilepsy patient she built up a rapport with after they got chatting over a hair clip she was wearing.

The nominator said: “I love hair accessories and flowers too and we both love pink! Sinead was an incredible part of my recovery because she literally held my hand when I was scared during seizures. 

“Having epilepsy is an experience that makes you feel so alone and scared, but Sinead made me feel safe and befriended me. She will always be someone I am grateful to have met. She is an amazing person with a beautiful heart and mind.”

The Health Hero award is among a number of categories at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust's Outstanding Achievement Awards. All winners will be announced during the ceremony at Peterborough Cathedral on July 16. 

 

Pic cap: Shortlisted for this year's North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust Health Hero award: Hannah Chapman, Sam Craigie, Anna Jardim and Sinead Southwell.