Double celebration as Procurement & Health Courier Services colleagues honoured in Queen's Birthday Honours List
Congratulations to Procurement & Health Courier Services colleagues Claire Salisbury who has been awarded with an MBE and Paul Buckingham the British Empire Medal respectively, for their outstanding contributions to NHS Wales during the coronavirus pandemic as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
The Queens’s Birthday Honours mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting individuals appointments into national orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are presented by the Queen or the Queen’s representative. The Birthday Honours are one of two annual honours lists, along with the New Year Honours and was postponed from June in order to honour those who have made outstanding contributions during the coronavirus pandemic
Claire, Assistant Director of Procurement based within Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, was successful in securing vital supplies of PPE for Cardiff and Vale Health Board and in an All Wales capacity during the crisis.
Claire said: "It was extremely difficult to secure PPE in a fractured market, but I feel so passionate about helping people and that is why I joined the NHS. It was a huge amount of effort to make it all happen and I managed to secure the contract for the four nations and I am so grateful for the people that have recognised my efforts."
Claire said she was shocked and delighted to receive the award and thanked all the NHS staff who have done so much during the pandemic: “I am delighted to receive this award and wish to take this opportunity to thank all of my colleagues within Cardiff and Vale Health Board and NWSSP who have supported me and my team in delivering a successful Covid response for NHS Wales.”
Jonathan Irvine, Director of Procurement & Health Courier Services: “I am delighted that Claire has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. This is a richly deserved award which recognises the enormous amount of time and effort that Claire gave and continues to give in sourcing and securing critical supply lines of PPE on behalf of the NHS in Wales. Claire’s skills and experience have been instrumental in what has been considered a very successful procurement response by NWSSP to the COVID challenge. I wish Claire every success for her future within NWSSP and again offer my sincere congratulations to her for this impressive achievement and her honours award. Well done Claire.”
Paul, Senior Procurement Business Manager within Hywel Dda University Health Board, has played a crucial role within the Hywel Dda Frontline Procurement Team during the Coronavirus pandemic providing invaluable support to the Health Board over the course of the Covid-19 challenge.
Paul said: “The past six months has been a very challenging period for everyone in the NHS. Part of my response to COVID-19 included working and collaborating with many services in Hywel Dda and NWSSP to develop a local supply and distribution network. As a team effort working across organisations we developed new approaches and reporting solutions to meet the changing demands on the NHS.“
“Providing re-useable PPE to ensure a sustainable resource was one of our key objectives, failure was not an option we had to make it happen and I am proud of the team who continue to go over and above the call of duty every day.”
“I am so grateful to be recognised and receive this award, however, this was a team effort, and I would like to dedicate it to all involved in the effort across NWSSP and Hywel Dda UHB.”
In terms of Paul’s recognition Jonathan said: “I am very pleased and proud to hear that Paul has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Paul is a key member of our Hywel Dda Frontline Procurement Team and he has contributed enormously to the effectiveness of our local procurement service in this area during the pandemic. Paul has demonstrated a real commitment to the delivery of service on the frontline and has been a crucial procurement support to the Health Board over the course of the COVID 19 challenge. I know Paul will continue to be a critical part of our procurement service in the future and I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate him on receiving this award.”
Mandy Rayani, Director of Nursing, Quality and Patient Experience for Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “I am absolutely delighted that Paul's extraordinary efforts to keep us safe, going above and beyond what was expected have been recognised.”
“His commitment, dedication and passion for what he does has enabled so many to provide care to people across the Hywel Dda region. It is a privilege to work with him.”