Rep of the Year 2022 was celebrated at the Radiography Awards in London.
UK Rep of the Year 2022 - Annette Steele
A steadfast and compassionate voice for her colleagues, Annette brings decades of radiography experience and a deep understanding of the workplace to her role as an industrial relations representative.
Regional winners
Find all our regional winners for 2022 below:
I was very surprised and honoured to find out I had been nominated for regional rep of the year. I love working as a paediatric radiographer at NUH where I have worked since qualifying in 2016. I hope I can help bring about positive changes in department through my work as a rep - a role I find both challenging and rewarding!
I have been an Industrial Relations Union Rep for the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care (NSECH) Hospital for around 2 years. In addition to this, I also took on the role of Health and Safety Rep 1 year ago. As this is a relatively new hospital at only 7 years old, there was historically no union representation present at this site within Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust and it was clear that members were struggling to feel heard by management during what was particularly difficult negotiations regarding changes in shift rosters and service changes.
Starting off as a new rep and taking on a site with no prior union representation was quite a challenge, however I feel as though throughout my time as rep I have been able to bridge the gap between management and members when it came to departmental changes, improve communication for members, and give staff a positive advocate throughout the site.
I feel as though I have managed to impart positive changes throughout the department, by conducting audits on aspects of the service and involving other departments such as manual handling and the directors of patient safety, to observe our department practices and provide advice on changes that can be made to improve the working conditions of staff whilst also enhancing patient care standards. I have also worked individually alongside staff to improve their emotional wellbeing at work, particularly during periods after the covid-19 pandemic and increased service demands.
Throughout my development as a union rep, I have utilised these skills in order to take on a new role as a Modality Lead Radiographer at South Tyneside and Sunderland Trust which I am due to start at the end of November. I hope that during my time as union rep I have managed to pave the way for future reps to be able to integrate into this role and have more influence for the Trust and its members.
I am honoured to have been voted (NI) Rep of the Year 2022 and would like to thank anyone who nominated and voted for me.
Currently I work part-time as a Clinical Specialist 111 Radiographer in Ultrasound Antrim Hospital NHSCT (NI) and have been employed there since it opened in 1994.I began my Radiography career in 1983 in ‘Londonderry School of Radiography’ Altnagelvin Hospital, N.Ireland.
Qualified as a Diagnostic Radiographer 1987.PgD Diploma in Medical Ultrasound 1994.I have been involved with the SOR since becoming a Radiography student in 1983.I have been an IR Rep and also H&S Rep over the past 35 years at different stages in my career first serving as a rep in 1988. I have attended numerous training courses both here in N.I and in England organised by the SOR & completed several ICTU courses which have helped me carry out my role as a Rep.
I have missed very few (NI) study days & conferences, attended many ADC conferences and had the opportunity to speak on motions. The social get togethers I love (as anyone knows me would agree) and having the opportunity to catch up with colleagues in more relaxed surroundings. As an SOR Rep I have been able to help and support my colleagues and members from being just there for someone to talk to when needed, to supporting and representing them through Disciplinary procedures and tribunals.
Although part-time I am available 24/7 for them all and often deal with issues outside my working days. I have been very fortunate to have excellent guidance and support from UK and NI SOR officers over the last 35 years and most recently Leandre the last 7/8 years who I would like to thank. Being a SOR member and Rep has been a highlight of my Radiography career, I would encourage others to step up. It has been a huge learning curve, and also rewarding on so many levels. I am very proud of our profession, my colleagues and the SOR. I will continue to promote and support them all to the best of my ability.
I’ve been a Radiographer for just over 10 years working in the North East of Scotland. Working in health care was always important to me as I wanted to do something to help others and Radiography was a good fit due to the various modalities and routes you could go down. I joined the SOR as a student whilst training at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen in 2008 and have been a member ever since. Recent changes within the department I work in and more recently the wider NHS structure motivated me to become an Industrial Relations Representative. I wanted to ensure changes that impact the staff were carried out following the correct policy and processes.
I was elected by the staff within the department to this role in September 2020 and have been continuously learning and developing in to this role since. Training for this role was slightly different as due to the pandemic it was done virtually, however it was still valuable in giving more insight to what this role would involve and hear from other new reps. I also spent time shadowing another colleague within the department to gain more knowledge of the ways in which various meetings work and what their main purpose was. It’s also been very interesting to learn the partnership model of working within our NHS trust and seeing how this is involved in a number of processes. Over the last 6 – 12 months I have taken on more responsibilities with this role which I have found to be challenging at times but very rewarding.
I have also supported another colleague who was elected to this role at the end of last year. I think having visible and approachable reps within departments will give colleagues a safe and confidential out let for raising any issues or concerns they have that can then be resolved through the appropriate channels. Furthermore it reassures colleagues that correct processes are followed and will be challenged if not. Receiving this award was a lovely surprise and gave me a confidence boost in my abilities as an SOR rep but also reinforced that having this role within the department is appreciated by my fellow colleagues.
My name is Sarah, I am a senior diagnostic radiographer working at Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, I work in CT and nuclear medicine and also have an interest in Radiation protection.
This has been my first term as an IR rep in the Trust, union activity has been relatively quiet and after a tough few years felt it was important to show our members what we could achieve working together. We successfully negotiated improved overtime rates that had not been updated for a good number of years. Our members work hard and we are busier than ever, they deserve to be acknowledged for this.
Since becoming a Radiographer as a second career choice, I have been fortunate to work with supportive and encouraging colleagues eager to share their wealth of knowledge with me. I began working at Dorset County Hospital in 2016 and became SoR rep in 2019. Being a Rep has been my opportunity to repay that support.
During turbulent and involved major rota changes, staff shortages and unprecedented operational pressures during the pandemic, I was able to support my colleagues. Armed with SoR training and knowledge we have navigated our way to a more balance and supportive working rota.
Ensuring staff were given a fair hearing and input, into changes affecting their employment is important to me. The support of my colleagues and that of Peter Higgs my SoR Regional Officer, ensured I felt well positioned to question management when necessary. When I received the email saying I had won Rep of the Year for the South West, I honestly thought it was sent to me by mistake. Thank you, I am overwhelmed
I am a diagnostic radiographer based in Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, South Wales and have worked here since I qualified from the University College of Medicine, Cardiff in 2003. I am a plain film MSK reporting radiographer and have just started the chest and abdomen reporting course.
I have been the IR rep for several years and have been involved in various issues from all things sickness to serious grievances involving senior management. I have been an active member of Welsh Council for several years and really enjoy attending ADC. I regularly attend meetings within my health board on staff side and am keen to improve working conditions for all.
I have 2 small children who keep me on my toes but when I get a minute I enjoy running and hill walking in the beautiful countryside where I live. I also enjoy riding my horse Colin when I have a chance!
Chris James qualified in Diagnostic Radiography from the University of Liverpool in 2011. His first radiography post was working for 4 years in Wrexham Maelor Hospital in x-ray and interventional radiology. At the time the Health Board was going through significant organisational changes and this, combined with two instances of industrial action, demonstrated the importance of effective representation for staff and a firm but collaborative approach to management. Fortunately, there were plenty of strong role models during these early years, and a part time secondment to Bangor University further broadened Chris' experience.
A move to York Hospital followed in 2015 initially to work in x-ray and interventional radiology/cardiology, before training in x-ray reporting, beginning with musculoskeletal images followed by chest and abdomen. In the relatively short space of time that he has been Industrial Relations representative there has been organisational change, a negotiated deal for overtime, changes to band 5-6 progression and more, as well as the day to day support of members and the promotion of the radiography profession within the trust.
Chris lives in York with his wife Sarah, 4 month son Dylan and cats Gruff and Cerys, and in any free time enjoys squash, cycling and following Hereford FC.
I started my career in radiography in 1984, studying at the Northwest Lancashire School of Radiography and at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Upon qualifying in 1987 I began working at Hope Hospital which then become Salford Royal and is now part of the NCA and I have worked here for the entirety of my career. I progressed from a basic grade to a senior 2 radiographer in 1992 and after starting a family I began working nights.
I continued to work nights as a Band 6 radiographer, and this is my current role. I have seen many changes and injustices over the years so when the opportunity to become the IR rep for the department arose in 2018, I felt that with my experience and knowledge of the workplace I was in a good position to put myself forward for the role with the hope of making a difference to the working environment of my colleagues