Congratulations to staff members Dr Lyndsay Cardwell, Denise Charity and Yvonne Jardine who are celebrating success after receiving professional accolades from the University of Stirling and NHS Forth Valley.

Denise and Yvonne have both been awarded as ‘Outstanding Practice Assessors’ for educating, supporting and training student nurses during 2025 by NHS Forth Valley and the University of Stirling.

The awards nominations are made by students themselves, recognising staff who have shown dedication and commitment, and inspired those they are supporting.

Student nurses can be placed with the hospice from anything up to four months, shadowing staff and working shifts alongside our hospice teams.

A huge amount of work is put in place by Strathcarron staff to ensure the students gain the right learning opportunities and have a chance to achieve their goals during their time with us.

Yvonne who has worked at Strathcarron for 25 years as a nurse on the in-patient unit, said: “It’s an absolute honour to get the practice assessor award. We love having students and sharing our knowledge and skill and what the hospice is all about.

“We’ve had some wonderful students who have gone on to be fabulous nurses and some have even come back to work with us. It’s a real privilege.”

Denise, Lead Nurse - Hospice at Home Service, said: “I was really surprised but pleased when I found out I had been nominated. It is a great thing for our team and for the hospice and reflects the close positive working relationship we have with the University.

“These placements are an excellent opportunity to showcase what we do. As a registered nurse I understand the significance and anxieties of these placements, and we work hard to ensure we give students the right tailored learning experience, opportunities and support.

“We are supporting student nurses that have never worked in end of life care and had to deal with death and dying every day. It requires a higher level of supervision and support but they soon become a key valued part of our team.”

Dr Cardwell, Community Lead Nurse, who has received a prestigious honorary appointment by the University of Stirling where she guest lectures, said: "My professional background is in palliative and end-of-life care, and I hope to contribute further to strengthening the knowledge base in this area through further research and supporting future health and social care professionals to develop their own knowledge in palliative care."

This honorary appointment further strengthens the long-standing partnership between NHS Forth Valley and the University of Stirling. Together, both organisations will continue to drive innovation, support high-quality research, and enhance education and training for the future health and social care workforce.

 

Outstanding Practice Assessor Award

More than 50 members of staff were recognised at an awards ceremony held at Forth Valley Royal Hospital on Friday, 28 November.

The Inspirational Practice Supervisor/Assessor Celebration event recognises the vital role supervisors and assessors play.

Third-year students nominate a practice supervisor or assessor who has been particularly inspirational during their training.

The nominees are then invited to the celebration event, where they receive a badge and certificate in recognition of their outstanding support and dedication.