Shropdoc’s Wendy Owen receives Cavell Star Award
We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Wendy Owen, Clinical Team Leader and Clinical Lead Nurse for Care Coordination and Oncology Services at Shropdoc, who has been honoured with the prestigious Cavell Star Award.
This national award recognises nurses, midwives, nursing associates and healthcare assistants who go above and beyond in their roles, and Wendy’s dedication, compassion, and leadership make her a truly deserving recipient.
The award was presented to Wendy by Shropdoc Board Chair David Coull. Here, we find out more about why Wendy is so deserving of the accolade:
Sister Wendy
Wendy Owen, or more affectionately known as ‘Sister Wendy’ wears many hats in her day-to-day role at Shropdoc. This may be interpreted by the reader as nothing new. For most nurses and health care professionals, this is the norm.
However, Wendy is a particularly special nurse and a wonderful person. She works for an urgent GP out-of-hours service for Shropshire and Powys, including triage and a care coordination centre to ensure patients receive the right care in a timely manner.
This is a stressful portfolio of skill sets to juggle, and Wendy in doing this remains calm. Her unflappable demeanour, coupled with what can only be described as a tranquil aura, instils confidence in others to keep going when demands within the call centre areas are high. Which is usually every day and night!
Wendy can often be seen donning the headphones to take additional cases for Triage, the call centre, or the palliative care line so that she can relieve the clinical burden on the teams whenever she can.
Kindness and Support
The amount of kindness and support she demonstrates is profound, and Shropdoc is a better place for her presence. She keeps her head when others around may not, and this makes her a natural ‘go-to’ given her clinical wisdom.
She has the valued and enviable nursing trait of recognising when ‘something is not quite right’ be it with a patient or equally a colleague who is struggling on a private level. She has been a voice of personal support for many individuals going through their own problems, placing a metaphorical hug around them to make them feel truly listened to, valued and respected. When Wendy is not there, we know, such is her impact.
Always willing to go the extra mile if she feels that it will be in a patient’s best interest is admirable.
High Standards
As a result, she has high standards and expects the same of those under her charge. Her leadership is compassionate and borne out of strong personal beliefs, standards, and integrity, which is respected by all who have the privilege to work with her.
Sister Wendy has worked for Shropdoc for a very long time and quietly continues to be a clinical stalwart for the organisation and a beacon of personal strength to many and those who work there.
She epitomises everything a nurse should be.