It is all joy for hospital porters at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital as they’ve been awarded Portering Team of the year at the National MyPorter Awards held in London.

The hospitals are part of a Group of hospitals including Goole, Grimsby and Scunthorpe, employing 17,000 staff and caring for over 1,000,000 patients every year. Getting people and resources to their destination in an organisation of that size is no mean task, but this 120-strong team handles this responsibility effortlessly.

Graham Taylor, Interim Portering, Postal and Switchboard Manager, says:

“Being recognised nationally as 'Portering Team of the Year' is outstanding and I am immensely proud to represent this team. Their responsibilities and duties go far beyond simply pushing a stretcher or moving a bed.

“They are expert communicators, constantly keeping patients and their families informed and reassured during difficult and often uncertain times. Their dedication and compassionate attitude towards their work make them invaluable members of our organisation.”

One of the key achievements upon which the team’s award nomination was based this year is the ‘Ready to Go’ model, which is designed to make the process of discharging a patient from hospital or to another ward or unit more efficient. When booking a job, ward staff are asked to consider the MINTED* model and ensure all essential stages of preparation such as medication and transport have been arranged before the porter attends.

But that’s not all. The team is also contributing to the Group’s carbon reduction efforts through the management of nitrous oxide. Now responsible for the management, distribution and replacement of this potentially harmful gas and in the majority of hospital locations, the team collects data and employs practices which are designed to minimise the harm causes by medical gases and reduce waste which could damage the environment.

Over 300 nominations were received for the MyPorter awards this year from hospital trusts across the country. The recognition is a testament to the team’s excellent work.

Graham continues:

“This team truly is phenomenal, and it fills me with pride to witness their unwavering commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of patients and their families every day.

“The team may not always receive the recognition that they truly deserve, but their contributions are immeasurable. They are the unsung heroes who quietly and efficiently keep the hospital running and deserve to be celebrated for their hard work and dedication.”

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