Celebrated at the Radiography Awards in London.
UK Rep of the Year 2023 - Zoe Hunt
A radiographer turned sonographer and now senior lecturer, Zoe uses her broad insight across modalities to support staff through challenges, drive fair negotiation, and champion positive change.
Regional winners
Find details of all regional winners below.
I am a Therapeutic Radiographer and graduated in 2008, I became an IR representative in 2011 and more recently a H&S representative. I work at ESNEFT (Ipswich hospital) and have been there since I graduated. I am also the secretary for the Eastern region, Deputy Staffside chair for ESNEFT joint union committee and am currently an elected staff governor. In addition, I am a mother of 3 children and supported fully by my wonderful husband.
I love my role as a trade union representative and enjoy supporting the members of Ipswich hospital, whilst continuingly improving my knowledge in HR policies and procedures. I feel fortunate and privileged to be in this elected role.
I am proud to be an AHP and love to promote our profession to the wider trust staff groups knowing that my role can make a difference to my members and the patients we serve.
I qualified as a radiographer in 2007 and work at Worcestershire Acute Trust who have supported me to become a senior radiographer and then a sonographer. I have been an industrial relations representative since 2016. Having worked across most modalities in radiography during my career it has given me a good oversight of the various problems that my colleagues encounter and how I am able to support them through changes/negotiations. I am proud of the changes that I have made during my time as an industrial relations representative, all my colleagues are amazing and deserve the best support that I can possibly give to them, I feel honoured that they have nominated me for this award.
I now only work part time for the trust as I work as a senior lecturer in medical ultrasound at Birmingham City university for the remainder of the week, I use my knowledge from my industrial relations training to ensure that the students are fully aware of what issues they may encounter during their careers and how to deal with any problems that may arise.
My name is Dai Morris and I have worked at Kings College Hospital since 2016 whilst being an elected SOR IR Rep since 2017.
My previous Trusts have included Southampton, East Surrey, Brighton and Torbay.
Being a rep is incredibly rewarding although also challenging on many fronts and I find having an open mind is highly beneficial. One constant is the never ending supply of support that is available from the SOR, Staffside and colleagues.
This award was highly unexpected and I am positive there are numerous hard working SOR reps deserving of accolades.
I am delighted to be awarded Northern Region Rep of the Year 2023, I thoroughly enjoy my role as IR Rep, although it can be challenging, I find it very rewarding.
Over my time as an IR Rep, I have represented colleagues and managers through various on-call/out-of-hours/7-day working negotiations and grievances. I have given advice, listened, counselled and supported as best I could. This all culminated in supporting our members through the recent strike action and I was extremely proud to see radiographers at the forefront of the rallies being recognised as the essential workers that we are within the NHS.
I have attended numerous meetings ranging from local Staffside, to Regional Reps, to representing Northern Ireland at ADC. During my 25 years, I have been grateful for the support given to me by the SoR Northern Ireland IR Officers and my managers throughout this time.
It is an honour for me to have not only been nominated, but to have won Northern Ireland SoR IR Rep of the Year 2023.
I am diagnostic radiographer qualified with the BSc degree at the University of Salford and clinical placement with Trafford General Hospital. Since qualifying, I have been employed by the former CMFT and now known as the mega trust Manchester Foundation Trust (MFT).
I have been an IR rep since 2018. I am very committed to my role as a rep although it can sometimes be challenging to manage time alongside my main job. Since the trust had grown, my role as an IR rep had become increasingly demanding especially with the organisational changes. The opportunities enable me to listen to the concerns/issues of our staff members in order to advocate changes and improvements. When achieving positive or successful outcomes, this feeling is the most rewarding! I have always had a keen interest to facilitate the consistence of equality, rights and fairness in the workplace. Alongside the role as a local rep for the SoR, I am all an active member of the MFT staff side committee and was successful in being elected a seat on the TJNCC panel. This is an amazing experience allowing me to sit in meetings with our corporate workforce management team and HR directors to discuss wider issues within the trust that affect our staff members and aim to negotiate the best term and conditions/policies with the potential to improve staff recruitment and retention.
I would like to thank all my SoR peers and my work colleagues for their belief and trust in my ability. Without all the support, I would not have developed and grown into the rep I strive to be as I am today.
I have been a member of the Society of Radiographers since my time as a student when I qualified from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh in 2007. I began my career as a Diagnostic Radiographer in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee before returning to my home county to begin work in Caithness General Hospital in 2010 where I continue to work today. Throughout my time in Caithness General I have worked in General X-ray and CT as well as completing postgraduate training in Ultrasound Imaging through the University of Cumbria in 2021.
When the previous Industrial Relations Representative for our site retired in 2015, I took over this role. This is a role I have found both interesting and enjoyable. The training and support I have received from the SoR, the National Officers and other IR reps throughout these past 8 years has been invaluable and has allowed me to help members both from my own site and further afield with many different issues. To have been nominated for Rep of the Year was a lovely surprise and I feel honoured to have been considered for it.
I’ve worked in Radiology for over 20 years, starting as an RDA then a RAP and finally qualifying as a diagnostic radiographer. I’ve always worked in plain film at Southampton General Hospital and am enormously proud of our achievements as a major Trauma Centre. Slightly older than most of my team, I’ve always tried to look out for my colleagues and so training as an IR rep seemed an obvious choice. I’m passionate about my members rights and known for my strong political views. This has never stopped me however from reaching a compromise in my role if I can. A ‘win win’ outcome is usually longer lasting.
I was very proud when Southampton reached the voting requirement to take strike action – this didn’t come out of thin air. We fought to get the vote out. Good communication has been the key throughout. The WhatsApp groups and teams’ meetings have been great for flow of information from the anger of the grassroots to the actions and advice from our leadership and full-time officers. Our picket lines have been lively and well attended with new young reps to the fore. None of us would have chosen to take this action if we felt there was any other way to get the government to listen, but it has served to make our members conscious of their collective strength. We now have new enthusiastic reps keen to support members in this essential role and this can only strengthen our union for future battles to protect our profession and our NHS.
I am a band 6 radiographer at Torbay Hospital and have worked there for 5 years. I became the society representative in 2021. I graduated from the University of Exeter in 2018. Prior to qualifying as a radiographer, I also completed a degree in Anthropology at University College London.
I have been working to find my feet as a rep; ultimately I am just trying to do what is best for my members and definitely wasn’t expecting this award. Recently there has been quite a lot of picketing, trying to get radiography the recognition it deserves.
In my spare time I like to experiment with vegan baking and walk my rescue dog!
My name is Christopher Rigby and I am honoured to be the Industrial Relations Rep at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust.
I have worked at Airedale for 24 years, and have been the Rep for over 20 years. My role has adapted over the years, I initially undertook Barium Enemas and a range of Upper GI Fluoroscopy examinations. I now work in CT, where I undertake all general examinations as well as CT Colon examinations. I also work half my shifts in Xray, often supervising students and helping to allocate work loads and be a point of reference for my colleagues.
During my time as SoR IR rep I have attended many regional Training days and ADC's and Union partnership meetings at my hospital. Over the years I have attended meetings with members and organised strike action on more than one occasion unfortunately.
I am truly humbled and honoured to have won this award and wish to thank everyone who has supported me and nominated me.
I am a senior diagnostic radiographer working in Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth Mid Wales. I have worked here since qualifying in 2019. I was both very surprised and honoured to discover I had been nominated for regional rep of the year. Since taking over the role of Industrial Relations rep around 18 months ago, we have had a whirlwind of a year dealing with issues arising such as pay, terms and conditions and various other issues.
Whilst finding my feet in the role, I have been able to support my colleagues with issues that have arisen as well as simply being there for them whenever they need someone to talk to.
Although very rewarding, the last year has not come without its challenges. I am very lucky to have had the support of not only the other SOR representatives within the team but also from the regional level. This has really helped me to become a better representative for our members and gain more confidence in policy and procedures.
I am working hard to bridge the gap between management and members when it comes to both departmental changes and communication between the two.
I attended my first ADC this year and was given the opportunity to speak to a few different motions and meet many inspirational professionals who are assets to the world of radiography. I have also recently become a member of Welsh council.
Whilst keen to ensure that I am as productive as I can be in my role, I am also excited to see where this next year takes me.