CSS News

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You said…
Administrative, clerical and operational colleagues told us they wanted more opportunities to connect with colleagues across MFT, access development opportunities, share learning and feel recognised for the important role they play in delivering patient care.

We did…
We launched our Proud2b Network in September 2025, creating a dedicated space for administrative and operational colleagues to connect, learn and grow together.

Since launch, a Proud2b Working Group has delivered a programme of webinars, learning events and networking opportunities, helping colleagues build relationships, access career development opportunities and gain greater visibility across the Trust.

Over its first year, the Network has promoted coaching, mentoring, careers support and digital training, delivered educational sessions, celebrated Administrative Professionals Day and created regular opportunities for colleagues to connect and share learning.

The Network marked its first anniversary with a celebration webinar on Wednesday, 23 September to reflect on its first year and share ideas for the future. Feedback included calls for more face-to-face opportunities, local champions, shadowing and career development, digital and AI skills, and greater recognition of colleagues working behind the scenes.

Celebrating our Proud2b Champions

As part of the first-year celebrations, the Proud2b@MFT Champion Awards recognised individuals and teams making a difference across MFT.

The awards were shaped by peer nominations, giving colleagues the opportunity to recognise the people and teams whose work deserves to be celebrated.

CSS

• Shannon Kernaghan, Individual Champion: recognised for leading work to reduce waiting times for children and young people’s MR scans, working across teams and helping improve DM01 performance.
• AHP Division, Team Champion: recognised for embracing the BOP pilot, working with corporate and digital colleagues to deliver it on time and championing the change across CSS.

MRI

• Ranjeev Deol, Individual Champion: recognised for leadership within Renal Medicine, supporting sustained RTT delivery, building capability across the team and championing Proud2b Ops.
• ENT Outpatient Management Team, Team Champion: recognised for creating a more inclusive environment and ensuring different traditions and beliefs are visible and celebrated.

NMGH

• Joshua Blakeley, Individual Champion: recognised for helping deliver major developments across Infectious Diseases, identifying opportunities to deliver better value for patients and bringing colleagues together to make change happen.
• Urgent Care Operational Team, Team Champion: recognised for its role in improving ambulance turnaround times and introducing the nationally recognised Power Hour, improving the experience for patients arriving by ambulance.

WTWA

• Sarah Picken, Individual Champion: recognised for leading the Cardiology CORGI programme, providing new insight into waiting times and helping achieve a record reduction in the cardiology outpatient waiting list.
• Medical Specialities Operational Team, Team Champion: recognised for supporting new colleagues, improving RTT across every service and working across boundaries to improve booking and reduce DNA rates.

LCO/Dental

• Siobhan McKay, Individual Champion: recognised for developing the Urgent Care Single Point of Access, improving referral pathways and creating development opportunities for administrative colleagues.

Specialist Hospitals

• Melissa Donnai, Individual Champion: recognised for establishing a cross-site Caesarean Section Forum, bringing specialties together and strengthening communication, operational grip and service delivery across maternity.

Corporate

• EDI Team, Team Champion: recognised for delivering Ignite alongside its wider programme of work, including equality reporting, WRES and WDES submissions, the ESR declaration campaign and work with staff networks and Clinical Groups.
• Proud2b@MFT Team, Team Champion: recognised for establishing the Network and continuing to facilitate and champion it throughout its first year.

Operational Role Models of the Year

• Michelle Irvine and Emma McGuigan were recognised as Operational Role Models of the Year.

The difference it’s making

The Network is helping create stronger connections between colleagues, increasing awareness of development opportunities and giving administrative and operational colleagues greater visibility and recognition for the contribution they make every day.

For Network member and General Management Officer Kelbin Eapen, being part of Proud2b has helped him build his confidence, broaden his perspective, make new connections and take up development opportunities he might not otherwise have considered.

Watch Kelbin Eapen share his Proud2b experience and the difference the Network has made to his development.

How this supports our priorities

This work supports our priority of strengthening how we recognise and value people, creating opportunities to celebrate the contribution of administrative and operational colleagues and raise the visibility of their work.

It also supports improving how we listen and respond to feedback. The ideas shared during the anniversary celebration are now helping to shape the Network’s next year, ensuring its future development continues to reflect what colleagues say they need.

What’s next?

Proud2b is now looking ahead to its second year, building on the connections, learning and recognition created so far.

There’s also more to celebrate: Proud2b@MFT has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Proud2bOps Awards 2026, taking place at the Proud2bOps Annual Congress in London on Wednesday, 11 November. We’ll let colleagues know how the Network gets on!