Porter from Northumberland Hospital wins lifetime achievement award

Paul Green, from Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, has won the Dennis Southern Award at the MyPorter Awards for his lifetime achievements in portering.

Paul began his career in 1975 in the post room at the old Ashington Hospital and almost 50 years later is still an integral part of the team working as a porter at Wansbeck General Hospital.

This national award was created in honour of Dennis Southern who was also a porter at Northumbria Healthcare before he sadly passed away in 2020. Throughout his career, Dennis showed commitment, dedication, and care to all of the patients and families that he interacted with.

The award is presented to porters within the NHS who also display these qualities and have had a positive impact on those around them.

Speaking about his award win, Paul said: “I was overwhelmed when I found out I won the award, and my friends and family were gobsmacked when I told them. I was up against two other candidates, so I really didn’t expect it.

“I really enjoy working as a porter because I work with great portering teams. It’s a really nice environment to work in and everyone was congratulating me.”

Damon Kent, managing director of NHFM said: “Day in and day out, Paul has shown his commitment to the trust to help provide our patients with a positive experience during a time of vulnerability.

“To have someone from Northumbria Healthcare win the Dennis Southern Award is fantastic. It shows that Dennis’ morals and work ethic have been passed on through our staff to form the incredible work force we have today.”