Faith to Fight for the NHS

People
Dr Julian Tudor Hart receives his award
ViewsJuly 5th, 2013

It was fitting that the inaugural Bevan Prize for Health and Wellbeing was awarded in the week of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service. The prize, established by the Bevan Foundation in association with the Aneurin Bevan Society recognises individuals and groups or organisations in any part of the United Kingdom who have made an outstanding contribution to health and wellbeing in their field in the past year, and who promote the founding values of the National Health Service. The Prize, sponsored by UNISON was awarded at a reception in Westminster on Monday 1 July.

The judges, Prof Sir Mansel Aylward (Chair, Public Health Wales and of the Welsh Government’s Bevan Commission), author, journalist and past chair of the Aneurin Bevan Society Geoffrey Goodman and Bevan Foundation trustee and Bevan’s great-niece Jaselle Williams selected a shortlist for the “Individual” award comprising Swansea–based lymphoedema specialist Melanie Thomas, general practitioner Dr Kailash Chand OBE, oncologist Dr Frank Chinegwundoh MBE and the winner, Cecilia Anim. Ms Anim is a clinical nurse specialist at the Margaret Pyke Centre in London and deputy president of the Royal College of Nurses. Having trained as a midwife in Ghana and later as a nurse in the UK she specialises in women’s health, family planning and sexual and reproductive health. She has also been a passionate advocate and campaigner in defence of the NHS.

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Pressure Ulcer Team, WEA West Midlands, and local community-based organisations Women’s Health in South Tyneside (WHiST) and Zest were shortlisted in the “Organisation” category, with WHiST taking the award. WHiST is a gender-specific voluntary organisation working in South Tyneside for over 27 years. It offers a broad range of health services as well as addiction support, rape crisis, a credit union and pre-vocational training as part of a holistic service to women who would not otherwise engage with health services and often suffering financial hardship, mental ill-health or domestic violence.

Dr Julian Tudor Hart was presented with the judges’ Lifetime Contribution award to recognise his unfailing commitment over many decades to the NHS. Having qualified as a doctor at Cambridge and practiced initially in London, in 1961 he became a GP in Glyncorrwg in the Afan Valley. It was in Glyncorrwg that he organised important research and pioneered innovations which had a profound effect on mortality rates in the community. His practice was the first in the UK to be recognised as a research practice. In addition, he is a prolific author of books and scientific articles, and one of our foremost advocates of an NHS with Bevan’s founding principles at its heart.

We also acknowledged those nominated for an award, but who didn’t make the shortlist. The breadth and calibre of the nominations we received is testament to the power of those founding principles to inspire and the dedication of individuals and organisations in the health and wellbeing sector to keep them alive. Monday evening’s event was a true celebration of the many, many folk who have fought and continue to fight for the NHS  every day.

Jeremy Miles is a Trustee of the Bevan Foundation Trustee and Chair of the Aneurin Bevan Society

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