NIMDTA proudly sponsors NI PAFTA Awards 2024
This year’s PAFTA (Paediatric Awards for Training Achievements) awards event was hosted at the Europa Hotel on Saturday 6th April 2024.
The night was a huge success and featured Pete Snodden from Cool FM as MC, a huge charity raffle and auction all in aid of NI Children’s Hospice.
A fabulous piece of artwork worth £900 was donated by local artist Farhad O’Neill and was auctioned at the astounding price of £1050!
Everyone then danced the night away to the brilliant Portadown band Bitz N Pieces. The event raised almost £4,000 for the Children’s Hospice!
Dr Sarah Rafferty, current ADEPT Fellow with NIMDTA and PAFTA Committee member said,
"Each year the committee welcome staff to nominate colleagues who have made a positive contribution to Paediatrics in Northern Ireland and embody the values of RCPCH through Innovation, Influence, Inclusivity and Leadership. This initiative has brought some much needed joy to the workplace by boosting morale, helping staff feel valued and respected and the chance to celebrate together at the awards event.
The NI PAFTA committee wanted to make these awards inclusive of all professions and so over the last number of years have continually expanded to reach many pockets of paediatrics inclusive of clinical and non-clinical staff, recognising that every staff member has a valued role and is an important piece of the puzzle to delivering the best care we can to children.
The night would not have been possible without many people and the committee would like to thank NIMDTA, Norso Medical, EOLAS, Direct Medics, Belfast Trust Charitable funds and Royal College of Nursing for their sponsorship as well as every local business who donated a raffle prize."
This years PAFTA Winners were:
Junior Trainee Hero – Dr Jonathan McDowell
Runner-Up – Dr Geraldine Campbell
Senior Trainee Hero – Dr Eimear McCorry
Runner-Up – Dr Jennifer O’Carroll
Future Paediatric Hero – Dr Neil Murphy
Runner-Up – Dr Stephen McCallion
Best Educational Supervisor – Dr Julie-Ann Maney
Runner-Up – Dr Sinead Callaghan
Training Unit of the Year – Neonatal Unit, RJMH
Runner-Up – Craigavon
Consultant Hero – Dr Anne Armstrong
Runner-Up – Dr Stephen Mullen
SAS / Locum Hero – Dr Ruth Humphreys
MDT Hero – Robert Mulligan, HCA Neonatal Unit, RJMH
Runner-Up – Mark Doyle, PICU Technician
Non-Clinical Hero – Anne Brown, PICU Administration
Runner-Up –Erin McAlinden, Domestic Services Blossom, Craigavon
Nurse of the Year – Carol McCarthy, APNP RBHSC
Runner-Up – Emma Laird, APNP RBHSC
What are the PAFTAs?
The PAFTAs stand for Paediatric Awards for Training Achievements and occur annually across different regions of the UK, with each region hosting their local awards. They were established by the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health in 2017 to recognise excellence in paediatric medical training and are now a well-established annual process. The winners of the 3 paediatric training categories (Junior trainee, Senior Trainee and Educational Supervisor) are then put forward to represent NI at the national awards.
If you know someone within Paediatrics who deserves a nomination for a PAFTA, keep your eyes peeled in Autumn 2024 for details on how you can nominate!
The Committee are looking for new members so if you would like to be part of this wonderful initiative email: paediatrics.nimdta@hscni.net
