A Herefordshire nurse has been recognised at an annual awards ceremony.

In an event devoted to celebrating the vital role nurses play in the delivery of health and social care, Herefordshire’s Dan Pearce was awarded the Best Individual Nursing Practice Award at the  Turning Point Nursing Awards in June.

A trainee non-medical prescriber at Turning Point’s Herefordshire Recovery Service, Mr Pearce was described as an “outstanding member of the team”.

This year, due to an unforeseen vacancy, Mr Pearce rose to the challenge of taking on additional responsibilities for six months at the same time he had started his prescribing course.

Colleagues said Mr Pearce carried out the added responsibility with “dedication, enthusiasm and commitment - highlighting the key components of what excellent nursing practice looks like”.

Gill Campbell, head of nursing at Turning Point, described the awards themselves as “an opportunity to spotlight the range of treatment and support nurses provide.”

Ms Campbell also referred to the “six Cs of nursing - care, compassion, courage, communication, commitment and competence.”  The nursing award’s judging panel especially reflected on how Mr Pearce had used these principles to truly go the extra mile for the people Turning Point supports.

An example of Mr Pearce’s exceptional efforts involved him liaising with colleagues in emergency departments and gastroenterology to break down barriers and stigma, ultimately ensuring individuals were medicated appropriately for withdrawals from alcohol and can remain safely in hospital while their physical needs were met.

Dawn Baker, clinical services manager at Turning Point’s Herefordshire service, described Dan as "a fantastic team player, he always puts the individual’s needs first” and as having “strong values which aid him in doing the right thing, even when this can be difficult. The service values his skills, passion and resilience.

“Thank you so much, Dan, for your dedication to the service and the people we support,” said Ms Baker.

Turning Point chief executive officer, Julie Bass, said the nursing profession "really demands resilience and commitment, that’s always been remarkable in nurses, but in a world that seems to be getting increasingly complex with more challenges facing healthcare workers, these qualities are ever more needed.”