The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn’s CEO, Caroline Shaw, CBE, has been named a ‘Love West Norfolk Hero’.
Caroline Shaw, who has been the Chief Executive at the Trust since early 2019, has been instrumental in supporting the Trust through its improvement journey, and more recently has guided the Trust through its biggest ever challenge, COVID-19.
At the height of the pandemic, Caroline chose to stay at the hospital rather than return home to her family at weekends to ensure that all staff felt supported. She also had the very difficult task of supporting the Trust through the loss of a colleague to COVID-19. Under Caroline’s leadership the Trust has so far treated over 450 people for COVID-19, and of those over 250 have safely returned home to loved ones.
In addition to COVID-19, Caroline has worked tirelessly with frontline staff to improve care for patients after the Trust was placed in ‘special measures’ in 2019 and initial feedback from a recent CQC inspection shows that the Trust and its staff have made clear improvements.
More recently, Caroline’s ambition of establishing a School of Nursing in West Norfolk became a reality, with Government funding secured to take forward this important development.
Professor Steve Barnett, Chairman at the Trust said: “I am delighted that Caroline’s hard work and dedication have been recognised. She is an inspirational leader and I am very proud to have her as my Chief Executive.”
“Well done Caroline.”
Cllr Geoff Hipperson, Mayor of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk said: “Caroline is a truly compassionate leader, with the ability to support QEH staff through wide-scale change and disruption, enabling our local hospital to provide the very best care to patients and the community.”
“Not only that, but her down-to-earth and can-do attitude has meant that the local community has had every faith that QEH will leave ‘special measures’ and become the hospital our community deserves.”
The Love West Norfolk Hero scheme was launched to give the local community an opportunity to stop and say ‘thank you’ to all those people who have been making a difference.
Caroline Shaw said: “I am absolutely, honoured and thrilled to have been selected as a Love West Norfolk Hero. I am really passionate about improving care for our local community and it’s amazing that people have recognised this.”
“COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge I have faced as an NHS leader but with the amazing, brave, dedicated staff of QEH and the unwavering support of our community we got through the height of the pandemic earlier this year and I know with similar determination that we will get through the winter period.”
“I just want to say a huge thank you to QEH staff, our community and who ever nominated me – I am thrilled.”
Caroline is not the only member of QEH to have been selected as a ‘Love West Norfolk Hero’, the Trust’s Communication and Engagement Team have also been selected for their role in supporting the Trust through the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Notes to Editors
For any media enquiries or interview requests please contact:
Maddie Pinkham
Head of Communications and Engagement Phone: 01553 613762
Email: madeleine.pinkham@qehkl.nhs.uk
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