Letterkenny University Hospital and the Saolta Staff Recognition Awards 2019

Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) won Saolta Staff Recognition Awards in two categories at a ceremony in Mayo recently.

The Donegal Clinical Research Academy won the ‘Education and Training Award’ for their emergency abdominal surgery course for students and the ‘Outstanding Employee Award’ was presented to Dolores Devenney who works in phlebotomy services at the hospital.

More than 160 nominations from across the Saolta Group of hospitals were received for the six award categories which included: Innovation in a Clinical Area Award; Innovation in a Non Clinical Area Award; Research Award; Quality Improvement and Patient Experience Award; in addition to the categories won by LUH - Education and Training Award; and Outstanding Employee Award.

The event was hosted by Mayo Senior Football Manager James Horan and the awards were presented by Saolta CEO Tony Canavan and Chief Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Jean Kelly.

Seán Murphy, General Manager, Letterkenny University Hospital said, “The student emergency abdominal surgery course is a unique multidisciplinary educational event. It exposes medical students to a reality that they haven’t previously experienced and provides valuable inter-disciplinary learning to our future doctors. The Donegal Clinical Research Academy at the hospital is a deserved winner of the Education and Training Award.

“I am delighted that Dolores Devenney was presented with the ‘Outstanding Employee Award’ for demonstrating exception service to her patients and colleagues over the last 40 years. The warmth and empathy she shows patients makes their hospital visit less daunting and she is patient and supportive with new staff and students who are still developing their skills. Dolores is a worthy recipient of the Outstanding Employee Award.”

In addition to winning two categories, the Metabolic Multidisciplinary Team at LUH was shortlisted for the ‘Innovation in a Clinical Area Award’.

The Saolta University Health Care Group Staff Recognition Awards take place every 2 years and aim to recognise the important role that staff play in delivering services to patients cared for in all six hospitals in the Group. All applications are judged by an independent panel and the event is self-funded through sponsorship.