Diane Dodsworth, head of nursing for critical care

It is testament to Diane Dodsworth’s unwavering team spirit that she dedicated her ViP Award to "the team of 200 people who all rose to the challenge working in ICU for the past few months". 

Diane praised the “can-do” attitude of nursing staff, saying that winning the award was “very humbling – I take it with pride for them and for myself".

Diane has worked for the NHS for nearly four decades and her current role as head of nursing for critical care sees her managing ICU teams across Frimley Park and Wexham Park hospitals.

One of her biggest achievements during Covid has been working with the chief of service to double critical care capacity on both sites to cope with the peak period of the pandemic.

Diane explained: “As a trust, we have increased capacity before for seasonal flu and H1N1 but never for such a prolonged period. Sustaining the increase for several months is a huge challenge, managing staffing levels and dealing with the unpredictability of the virus.

“It was also difficult with the visiting restrictions and not being able to form relationships with patients’ families. Dealing with such an unprecedented number of deaths – it was a tough environment for all of us to work in.”

Alongside the increase in capacity, Diane was also in charge of training more than 200 non-ICU nurses to ensure they had the additional skills required to work on the units. She is a deserving winner of the ViP Award, championing the wellbeing of staff and supporting them through hundreds of shifts.

Diane continued: “I feel like I have been on a very valuable journey myself – I have learned a completely different skillset, particularly when it comes to specialist equipment and oxygen supplies. The rapidity of decision-making was extraordinary, it has definitely made me more tenacious“.

“Winning the ViP Award is an honour and I’m fortunate to have such a good senior team  to support me."