Leeds Healthcare Support Worker Honoured with Chief Nursing Officer Award for Teamwork and Improving Patient Care

Amy Dimery, a dedicated Healthcare Support Worker at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust (LCH) has received a Chief Nursing Officer Award for making a remarkable difference in the lives of neurodiverse children and their families across Leeds. This prestigious award recognises healthcare support workers who consistently demonstrate the values of the NHS by working together with colleagues, to deliver the best care for patients.

Mum of two, Amy, has worked for LCH for over seven years playing a pivotal role by making sure that children with neurodiversity receive care tailored to their unique needs. Her presence has enhanced the trust between families and healthcare services, creating a bridge where children feel safe, understood, and valued.

One of her biggest achievements has been implementing a successful initiative to ease the anxiety of blood tests for children with neurodiversity and their families. Understanding the sensory sensitivities and communication challenges many of these children face, she rolled out innovative strategies across the health centre such as visual aids and distraction techniques. Amy is mindful to how the clinical environment affects young patients and consistently seeks compassionate, creative solutions by asking, ‘What matters to you?’.

Through her compassion, innovation, and dedication to quality care, she has not only transformed the experience of children with additional needs but also championed safer, more inclusive practices for all. Her contributions have not gone unnoticed, families regularly share heartfelt appreciation for the way she consistently goes above and beyond, often remarking on her unique ability to help children feel calm, safe, and respected.

Gail Greenwood, ICAN Clinical Team Lead, said: “Amy’s positive and inclusive behaviour has improved working relationships across multidisciplinary teams, the wider team within the health centre see her as their ‘go to person’. She models excellent communication by working effectively with nurses, therapists, and doctors, and her consistent advocacy for her patients’ voices to be heard has strengthened collaborative working. We are so proud of Amy as a team and as an organisation”

Victoria Bagshaw, Regional Nursing, Midwifery and AHP Lead presented Amy with the award at Wortley Beck Health Centre. She said: “The Chief Nursing Officer Award recognises healthcare support workers who go above and beyond in delivering extraordinary care. It celebrates the vital role these professionals play as an integral part of our healthcare teams, working closely alongside registered nurses to serve and support our communities. With approximately 27,500 support workers in our region, being one of only 100 recipients of this prestigious award is a truly remarkable achievement and something to be very proud of.”

Amy said “This is such a huge surprise for me, coming from a non-clinical background - I used to be a nursery nurse working in a preschool room. When the nursery closed, I saw a healthcare support worker role at ICAN and decided to take the chance. From day one, all the staff welcomed me with open arms. Over the past seven years at ICAN, everything I’ve learned has come from the doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals I’ve had the privilege to work alongside. I’m truly grateful to them all for helping shape who I am today and encouraging me to pursue nursing.”