A Torbay nurse has won a prestigious award for her work with a pioneering care home visiting service.
Gemma Guppy triumphed in the Leadership Award category of the South West General Practice Nursing Celebration Awards. She received the accolade at a special gala ceremony at the Mercure Exeter Rougemont Hotel this week.
The award recognised Gemma’s role as clinical lead of Torbay General Practice’s Care Home Visiting Service – a specialist team that supports care home patients throughout Torbay.
The awards are held annually by the NHS to showcase the outstanding work of practice nurses and the pivotal role they play within the health service.
A delighted and surprised Gemma said: “I was so convinced I wouldn’t win that I’d taken off my shoes and had to collect the award without them!
“I was so pleased to win, but it’s only because of the amazing team I work with.
“From the GPs and pharmacists to the nurses and admin staff, everyone makes an important contribution to the service, and we all support each other when it’s needed.”
Gemma, who also won an NHS Chief Nursing Officer Silver Award for excellence in clinical practice in 2020, added: “Helping care home patients and supporting the wonderful staff who care for them is my passion.
“These people have lived amazing lives and are often forgotten about when they go into care homes. I want to make sure they’re looked after.”
Dr Manny Austin, a GP with the Care Home Visiting Service and at the Corner Place Surgery, said: “Everyone involved with the Torbay Care Home Visiting Service is so proud of Gemma’s achievement.
“Our multi-disciplinary team offers a unique service that supports 10 GP practices and 84 care homes. Gemma’s passion and skill in leading this team has made significant contribution to its continued success, and we’re delighted for her in winning this award.
“It’s fantastic to see Gemma get the recognition and celebration for her hard work and we’re delighted for her.”
The Torbay Care Home Visiting Service (TCHVS) is a muti-disciplinary team of local NHS GPs, nurses, paramedics and pharmacists.
It aims to reduce hospital admissions and relieve pressure on GPs by treatment care home patients earlier. It plays a particularly important role in Torbay as the area has one of the highest numbers of care home beds in England and this patient group often has significant medical needs.
The team has a wide range of expertise in conditions and related issues – commonly found in care home patients, including frailty, dementia, medication side effects, advance care planning and palliative care.
The service was formed in 2017 by Torbay General Practice (TGP) – an alliance of ten Torbay GP practices. Working collaboratively enables TGP to scale up systems more effectively and provide better health services for patients across Torbay.
Gemma’s Torbay nursing colleague Isabel Sharp was also present at the awards night. Isabel, of Brunel Medical Practice (one of ten TGP surgeries), was a finalist in the ‘Above and Beyond Nurse Award’ category.
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