Acorns Children's Hospice Nurse wins prestigious award.

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More Information<h2>More information</h2>Acorns Children's Hospice press information, please contact: Nicola Jones tel: 01564 825062 <a href="mailto:nicola.jones@acorns.org.uk">nicola.jones@acorns.org.uk</a> Acorns offers a network of care and support to children who have life limiting or life threatening conditions and their families, at its hospices in Birmingham (Selly Oak), Walsall and Worcester, and through its community team who offer support at home. Children can stay at the hospices for short breaks, emergency and end-of-life care. The community team give support to the family 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To find out more about Acorns, please visit <a href="http://www.acorns.org.uk" style="line-height: 1.6;">www.acorns.org.uk</a>

A member of Acorns Children's Hospice nursing staff has won a prestigious healthcare award.

Helen Mountford, a staff nurse at the Acorns hospice in Walsall, has been named as the overall winner of this year’s Wound Academy Scholarship.

The Scholarship provide wound care practitioners with the opportunity for professional development. The awards were hosted by Mölnlycke Health Care, one of the world’s leading providers of wound care solutions to the healthcare sector.

Helen was given her award for her work on tissue viability in children’s palliative/ end of life care. Helen has received a scholarship worth around £1500 which will allow her to further her career in this specialist area.

The award organisers noted that it is rare for them to receive applications on this topic. They stated that they will use Helen’s work as an opportunity to promote children's palliative care.

The Molnlycke Academy programme provides every year the opportunity to showcase excellence in nursing and this year was no exception.

National Clinical Manager at Molnlycke, Alison Hedley, said:

It was wonderful to have Helen’s entry in a care setting that has never been showcased before. The panel were extremely impressed with Helen submission and her achievements to date. “I look forward to working with Helen over her winning year with the Academy and helping her to maximise her project at Acorn Children’s Hospice. Well done from all at the Academy and here’s to an exciting journey Helen.

Helen said:

Approximately 35% of people with life limiting conditions develop wounds towards the end of life. Managing these wounds can be complex and challenging.

The support provided by the scholarship will help me achieve my aim that tissue viability will be considered integral to the holistic palliative care offered to all children using Acorns’ services.

The winners of the 2014 scholarships were announced on Friday 2nd May at a celebratory lunch at Vintners Hall, London. The prizes were given out by Dr David Foster Deputy Director of Nursing NHS England.