A CANCER nurse has become one of just four in the UK to receive national recognition for her exceptional care of patients.
Palliative care nurse specialist Maggie Simkiss, who works at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, has been recognised with a Henry Garnett Award by Macmillan Cancer Support.
Mrs Simkiss beat a record number of entries to be given the award to help the charity's work.
Janis Hostad, of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, paid tribute to Mrs Simkiss, describing her as "one amazing nurse".
She said: "She never tires of her work, she's always thinking of her patients and the whole team is incredibly proud of her.
"The great affinity and rapport Maggie builds with her patients and their families, and her ability to always connect and to empathise is remarkable.
"She goes out of her way to help others, whether it is fundraising, giving a talk, or forgoing her evenings to help deliver bereavement support.
"Maggie does so much to raise the profile of Macmillan and cancer care locally. If there's one person who really deserves this award, it's Maggie."
As well as providing excellent nursing care to patients and their families, she often gives up her own time to organise memorial services for people who have lost their lives to cancer.
As well as choosing the songs and organising the events, Mrs Simkiss even bakes the cakes to serve after the service and makes special memorial lights for relatives to take away as a memento of their loved ones.
She also gives talks about cancer at schools, universities and business and she plays a key role in the clinical supervision of junior staff.
Lorraine MacDonald, Macmillan regional service manager, presented Mrs Simkiss with her award at the hospital yesterday.
Mrs Simkiss, who has worked in palliative care for 15 years, said she knew she had been nominated for the award but never thought she would win.
She said: "You just put things to the back of your mind, but the woman who nominated me asked if I'd heard and that brought it back to my mind.
"When I hadn't heard, I just thought I must not have won it but the woman who had nominated me knew by then I'd got it.
"She played her cards close to her chest with that one."
Mrs Simkiss paid tribute to her colleagues who work at the hospital's end-of-life service, which was given a glowing report by Care Quality Commission inspectors during their visit earlier this year.
She said: "I am part of a team and the whole team do amazing work. We all go above and beyond, all the time. That's the type of people I work with and it's so lovely to be part of a team like that."
She said she was committed to the care of patients at every stage of their lives.
"I feel it is a really important part of nursing to be with people towards the end of their lives as well as at the beginning and during their lives.
"It is just a great privilege to help people."
Compassionate service praised by CQCCastle Hill Hospital's end-of-life care was given a "good" rating by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission this year.
The service, for which Maggie Simkiss works, received high marks for the safe care staff gave to dying patients and their families.
In their report published in May, inspectors said: "Staff were caring and compassionate.
"We heard from a range of people at our listening event and also from people who contacted us to describe their experiences of end-of-life care.
"Most people were very complimentary about their experience.
"They told us staff had been kind and understanding, particular on the oncology wards.
"Staff talked to us about the respect and dignity they gave the patient following death and the support provided to families of the deceased.
"The service was well-led. The palliative care team had a clear vision to improve and develop high-quality end-of-life care across all specialisms."
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