Harry’s compassion and warmth “visibly moved” the relatives of a patient with dementia
Harry Ross, centre, with Victoria Bagshaw (left) and Jenny Hinchcliffe (right)(Image: NHS HUMBER HEALTH PARTNERSHIP)
A Health Care Assistant at Hull Royal Infirmary has received a national award from England’s top nurse for showing “warmth and dignity” towards patients. Harry Ross, 19, was praised for his “incredible compassion”.
Harry works on Ward 500 in the tower block and received the Chief Nursing Officer Support Worker Excellence Award. Nursing Associate Educator Annemarie Flood nominated him for his “compassion, initiative and unwavering commitment to person-centred care“.
Victoria Bagshaw, Deputy Director of Workforce and Education at NHS England, presented him with the award on Wednesday, November 19. Victoria said Harry was one of fewer than 100 health care support workers to receive an award from a workforce of around 27,500 staff in the North-East, Yorkshire and Cumbria, underlining his exceptional achievement.
After receiving his award, Harry said: “The award makes me feel really proud of myself that I can achieve something so big at such a young age, so early into my career. It also makes me feel overjoyed that I have accomplished something like this.”
Kate Collins, Sister on Ward 500, said Harry started working on the respiratory ward as an Apprentice Health Care Support Worker last year. He made an instant impact with the rest of his team.
Harry Ross receives his award from Victoria Bagshaw(Image: NHS HUMBER HEALTH PARTNERSHIP)
She said: “He came to us knowing nothing about hospitals or health care or anything about looking after patients yet, from Day One, he’s been absolutely fantastic. He has listened, practised everything he’s been shown, taken advice and asked questions from everyone in the team.
“We get amazing feedback from patients and their families when he’s been on shift. They’ll always ask where he is if he’s not on the ward or ask us to pass on their thanks for how he’s helped their loved one.
“He’s always jolly but he knows when it’s time to joke and when to be serious. Even though he’s still so young, he shows incredible compassion towards patients and we’re all so sure that he’s going to go really far in the NHS.”
In her nomination, Annemarie Flood gave a recent example, when Harry helped a patient with dementia, as how his care has a profound impact, not just on patients, but on their families and people he works with.
The patient has been distressed, agitated, upset and struggling with the absence of his family. Annemarie said: “Harry went far beyond the basic duties of observation. He took the time to understand the patient as a person, not just a diagnosis.
“Through gentle conversation and genuine curiosity, he discovered that the patient enjoyed playing cards – a pastime that had once brought him joy and connection. Rather than simply noting this, Harry acted on it.
“He sat with the patient, spoke to him with warmth and dignity and played cards together. This simple yet powerful gesture transformed the atmosphere. The patient, who had previously been shouting and showing signs of distress, became calm and engaged.
“When the patient’s family arrived and saw him playing cards – smiling, relaxed, and interacting – they were visibly moved. They shared that seeing him in that moment reminded them of who he truly was before his illness progressed.
“It felt, in their words, ‘like we had our dad back’. They had been carrying the guilt of not being able to stay with him, and witnessing this act of kindness brought them comfort and relief.”
As well as the difference he is making on his ward, Harry is also studying hard, recently enrolling in the Access to Nursing course at college to achieve his ambition of becoming a nurse.
Annemarie said: “His commitment to learning, growth, and compassionate care marks him out as a future leader in health care. Harry Ross is an outstanding apprentice, and we wholeheartedly believe he deserves recognition for the difference he is already making.”
Harry said: “There are no words to explain how happy it’s made me and I thank my ward sister Kate Collins for all the support and motivation she’s given me throughout my career so far. I also want to thank the apprenticeship team and the college I was with that helped and supported me through the whole course.”