'Phenomenal' volunteer who has dedicated 65 years to Wigan hospital among winners at NHS awards ceremony

Barbara Lambert was one of four people presented with the Mayor’s Special Recognition Award by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham during a ceremony at the National Football Museum, in Manchester.

It recognised their dedication during both their working lives and later lives to help others.

She is currently the volunteer chairman of the League of Friends at Wrightington Hospital, but also spent her working life at the hospital as a nurse at the same time as Prof Sir John Charnley, the pioneer of the total hip replacement.

Mrs Lambert said: “It was an honour to attend the event with my wonderful husband and fellow volunteer Ken and Laura, voluntary services manager, who nominated me, alongside other NHS staff. It was a complete surprise to learn I had been nominated for the award as I am someone who does not like a fuss – I don’t expect reward for doing something I love and enjoy.

“I had only ever seen Andy Burnham on TV before; he was a lovely man and chatted to me about my nursing career and working with Professor Sir John Charnley.”

She continued: “Working at Wrightington Hospital and volunteering enables me to feel in some small way that I am making a difference to people who are often nervous worried and frightened about their visit, operation, treatment. I have the time to spend listening and reassuring patients and relatives and when they say thank you or I’ve helped, that is the best reward anyone could ask for.”

Volunteer manager Laura Milward said: “Barbara has the biggest heart and is such a phenomenal person always putting our WWL patients and the trust at the forefront of everything she does. We are lucky to have her as part of our WWL volunteer team and this award is so well deserved.”

More than 500 people were nominated for 13 categories in the awards.

The Employer of the Year Award was given to Dr Nikesh Vallabh, Dr Krzysztof Misterek and Dr Charlotte Luke, who are GP partners at Hawkley Brook Medical Practice, in Worsley Mesnes.

Dr Vallabh said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won the Employer of the Year Award at the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Awards. It recognises all the hard work we have put in to be the first health care organisation in Greater Manchester to achieve the GM Good Employment Charter and our commitment to making Hawkley Brook a welcoming and supportive place to work. We have an amazing team in place and we have the tools to keep them, develop them and make sure that together we can deliver great patient care.”

Alexia Mitton, assistant director for communications and engagement in Wigan for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, was named Well-being Champion.

During the ceremony, a moment was taken to celebrate the contribution of Karen Downs, who was the driving force for setting up the pioneering virtual hub and ward at WWL which allows patients to be treated virtually from home.

She died in 2022 and an award for outstanding contribution was presented in her memory to her family.