Nicola Hyslop, Advanced Multiple Sclerosis Nurse Champion at North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded the Outstanding Multiple Sclerosis Nurse Award by the QuDoS Awards for Recognising Quality in the Delivery of Services in Multiple Sclerosis.
Nicola said “It is a huge privilege to be nominated and win the award. Highlighting quality in the Delivery of Services in Multiple Sclerosis, QuDoS Awards as it is voted by professionals who are eminent in their field of neuroscience and is a nationally recognised achievement. There were 3 of us in the Outstanding Multiple Sclerosis Nurse Category with 2 highly commended and myself as winner.”
Nicola has been working with the Multiple Sclerosis Team (MSC) for 4 years but has worked for the Trust since 1999.
Nicola was nominated by a colleague who said “She has been a passionate advocate for those on her caseload who struggle to advocate independently and is a role model for the MS Trust. Her intuition and forward thinking has led to several key service improvements to create a better experience for her patients living with advanced MS. Her exceptional work has been recognised by patients who acknowledge that she goes above and beyond to ensure they receive the highest standard of care.”
Nicola told us a bit more about her role “There are never two days or two patients the same, within my working day which makes the role so interesting as well as advocating and making a difference to those patients who are no longer eligible for treatment but live with the complex symptoms related to MS in North Cumbria.”
In her first year Nicola’s role and the care she has provided has avoided almost 60 hospital admissions. Nicola has agreed Emergency Health Care plans with her patients and each of these visits has included discussion about Advanced Care Planning. These plans ensure reduced hospitalisations and improved compliance with the wishes of patients and their families at the end of their life.
The ceremony was held on in March 2023 in Leicestershire.