Voting now open to celebrate Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust’s brilliant people

You can help decide who your local NHS star is by voting in the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust’s Our People’s Choice Award.

The annual staff recognition award scheme celebrates people who have provided excellent care to people either hospital or in the community. The Our People’s Choice Award is one of two awards where people can nominate and vote for their favourite individual or team.

It is awarded annually, with people asked to nominate someone if they have received excellent care, service with a smile, kindness and understanding or exceptional service.

All the nominations have been considered by a judging panel and three individuals have been shortlisted. Members of the public can now read the nomination and vote for their choice, with the winner announced at Torbay and South Devon’s award celebration event in May.

The shortlisted individual finalists for the award are:

• Jasmine Li-Barker, Senior Sister, Emergency Department
• Louise Rodnicki, Health Care Support Worker, Cromie Ward
• Vinay Varadarajan, ENT Consultant

Jasmine Li-Baker was nominated by a detective sergeant from Torbay Local Safeguarding for the care she gave during a distressing situation. Her nomination said: “Her professionalism, empathy and compassion went far beyond expectations. I could clearly see that she had been affected emotionally, but she held everything together to give a superb service.”

Healthcare support worker Louise Rodnicki was nominated for the outstanding care she gave someone during their first overnight hospital stay. They said: “Louise provided outstanding care, attention, reassurance, warmth and kindness. Nothing was too much trouble, and everything was done with good humour and friendliness… she made sure I was comfortable and had all I needed. She was an absolute star.”

Ear, nose and throat consultant Vinay Varadarajan was nominated by the daughter of a patient for his calming and empathetic ‘chairside manner’. She said: “Mr Varadarajan worked tirelessly for my family, organising biopsies, scans, referrals and appointments.

He regularly called my father to update, reassure and explain anything that might have been happening at each stage, and would then call me afterwards as his next of kin to answer my questions. Mr Varadarajan has shown us the utmost care and compassion. He gave us countless hours of his time, patience, understanding and relentless kindness, and was genuinely invested in my father’s care and the care of his family.”

Joe Teape, Chief Executive, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am so incredibly proud of our compassionate people and was overwhelmed to read the nominations for this year’s Our People’s Choice Award.

“While we would love to give everyone who’s been nominated an award, we have shortlisted these four incredible people. We would like to thank all who submitted a nomination this year and encourage everyone to read the nomination stories and vote for your people’s choice.”

The voting for the Our People’s Choice Award is now open, and people can find out further information on Torbay and South Devon’s Our People Awards page.

Voting will close on 11.59pm on Monday 14 April 2025.

The Our People Awards celebration event is paid for entirely thanks to the generosity of our corporate sponsors: Hulley and Kirkwood Consulting Engineers; Services Design Solution; Wandsworth Healthcare; Nevada Construction; Civica; and Bailey Partnership. Thank you so much for recognising and valuing our incredible hard-working people.