An ‘exceptional carer’

Leeds graduate commended at annual awards night

Receiving a degree from your university is one of the biggest personal accomplishments many people may achieve.

CARER: Radhika Surelia, a clinical dietician with the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, was awarded the Exceptional Care Award after being nominated by a patient’s daughter

And now, despite graduating more than two years ago, one former Leeds student has had to practice her stage walk once more as she was awarded a prestigious NHS Trust accolade earlier this month.

Radhika Surelia, who graduated from Leeds Beckett University in 2012 with a BSc (Hons) in Dietetics, received the ‘Exceptional Care Award’ at an annual awards ceremony for her work as a clinical dietician.

Hosted by the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, the Celebrating Excellence Awards are staged to honour those members of staff who go above and beyond what is expected of them during work.

This year’s event, at Devonshire Place, was attended by more than one hundred members of staff, carers, service users and volunteers as 13 winners were announced.

Radhika was just one of the winners on the night, and she said the fact a patient’s daughter was the one who nominated her, made the award ‘extra special’.

She said: “It wasn’t until the ceremony and the moment I was announced as the winner for the award that I had any idea I was going to win. I am still in shock by this.

“I have a lovely engraved award and a framed photograph which I had taken with the Chief Executive and Chair of the Trust; both of whom presented me with the award.”

Radhika’s role as a clinical dietician with Leicestershire’s NHS Trust involves constant one-to-one interactions and she added that it is a job which is always full of rewards.

“I absolutely love my job,” she added. “I continuously get positive comments from patients stating how pleased they are with the care they receive from me.”

Award winners at the Celebrating Achievement Ceremony were nominated by a stakeholder from the NHS, including patients, visitors and fellow staff members.