Health and Social Care staff from the South Eastern Trust have been recognised at two separate events in recent days, one marking the award of the George Cross to the Northern Ireland health service and the other celebrating professional achievements in social work.

A Service of Thanksgiving was held at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast to celebrate the George Cross awarded to Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care service for its work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The service was organised by Martin Bradley, an RCN Fellow, and attended by Health Minister Robbie Butler, MLA, along with staff from across the health service and the Department of Health.

The South Eastern Trust’s Harmony in Health Choir joined with colleagues from the Northern Health Trust to perform at the service. Jonathan Patton, Chairman of the South Eastern Trust, said the event was a special opportunity to reflect on the contribution of staff and celebrate the award. He noted that the George Cross is a lasting recognition of the compassion, courage and commitment shown by staff, particularly during the pandemic. He also expressed pride in the choir’s performance.

Amanda Byers, Renal Unit Manager at the South Eastern Trust, carried the Florence Nightingale lamp during the service. Byers said it was an honour to carry the lamp, which symbolises nursing, and that the George Cross is a wonderful recognition of health and social care staff’s commitment.

Separately, 26 social work staff from the South Eastern Trust received Professional in Practice (PiP) Awards at a ceremony at La Mon Hotel. The awards were organised by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) and attended by Lord Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh Council, Councillor Brian Higginson.

Twelve staff were recognised in the Consolidation Award category, 13 in the Northern Ireland Specialist Award category, and one in the Northern Ireland Leadership and Strategic Award category. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Creating Safer Futures: Social Work Responses to Domestic Violence and Abuse’.

Marie-Louise Sloan, Director of Children’s Services and Executive Director of Social Work at the South Eastern Trust, said the awards highlight the dedication and professionalism of social work staff. Principal Social Worker Jillian Morris added that the awards reflect the skill and commitment social workers bring to their roles. Tracy Reid, Chief Executive of NISCC, congratulated the recipients and noted the importance of social workers in difficult conversations in society.

Meanwhile, the Southern Trust joined colleagues from across Northern Ireland’s five Health and Social Care Trusts at a regional showcase event hosted by Queen’s University Belfast, highlighting innovative approaches to improving social work retention. The event brought together social work professionals to share learning from a regional project funded by the Department of Health through the Social Work Workforce Implementation Board. The initiative was developed in response to research led by Dr Laura Cook and colleagues at the University of East Anglia, which examined the factors that help social workers remain and thrive within the profession.

The Southern Trust’s contribution centred on raising the profile of specialist social work and highlighting the significant impact these roles have on individuals, families and communities. Colm McCafferty, Executive Director of Social Work at the Southern Trust, said social workers play a very valuable role every day, going above and beyond for those most in need. He said the Trust wanted to create an environment where social workers can thrive, retain and develop their expertise, and that the project was about shining a light on specialist social work.

The showcase demonstrated how evidence-based approaches, combined with practical experience from across the Health and Social Care system, can help create supportive working environments where social workers feel valued and empowered. By sharing successes and lessons learned, the regional initiative will help inform future workforce strategies and support the retention of skilled and experienced professionals across Northern Ireland.