A West Suffolk Hospital employee thanked her colleagues in the estates and facilities department after scooping a national award.
Hannah Sharland, who is estates and facilities project manager at the Bury St Edmunds-based hospital, won the individual development award at the recent Health Estates and Facilities Management Association (HefmA) awards ceremony.
The awards, which were held at the Cotswold Water Park Hotel in Gloucestershire, recognise the outstanding efforts by NHS estates and facilities teams over the past year.
Hannah was nominated for the individual development award for achieving excellence in education and in the workplace.
Over the past five years, Hannah has gained both a foundation degree and subsequently a first class honours construction management degree, while juggling working 30-hours-a-week and being a mum to two young children.
Hannah began her employment at West Suffolk Hospital as a part-time housekeeper while studying and met Jacqui Grimwood, the estates and facilities development manager, who mentored her.
Hannah has since headed up many notable projects on the hospital site.
These include the new Quince House development, which houses administrative functions and the sterile services department, the refurbishment of Oak House into office space, as well as the development of the bereavement suite and the installation of a birthing pool in the maternity unit.
Hannah said: “First of all, I would like to thank the whole team for being so supportive, and my manager who has nurtured my career and helped me to achieve my academic goals.
“The skills and theory that I have learnt at university have improved the way I look at projects on site, and as I don’t have a practical construction background as such, this helps me to think of solutions or issues that sometimes other people haven’t considered.
“The role our department plays is so vital in the NHS, as it ensures improved and safe facilities for patients and staff, and this leads to better quality care. I get a lot of job satisfaction from knowing that.
“We have more capital projects in the pipeline for the trust, which I am very exciting about and I look forward to the new challenges ahead.”
Of the six award categories available at the HefmA awards, West Suffolk Foundation Trust’s estates and facilities team were also shortlisted for project of the year and the efficiency and improvement award.
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