Voting is now open.
This award recognises individuals / teams who have done something new or different, delivered innovation, reform, a surprising or left field solution, or found solutions ‘against all the odds’ – with examples of what they have done and the impact it has had.
Finalists:
- Robotic Assisted Surgery Theatre Team
- Laura McDowall, Community Charge Nurse,Team 12 Girvan/Maybole
- The Vibrant Voices Singing Group
Read their amazing nominations below and vote for your winner!
Robotic Assisted Surgery Theatre Team
Robotic assisted surgery was introduced to NHS Ayrshire & Arran in 2023 with the installation of the da Vinci platform at University Hospital Crosshouse. Since then, the theatre team has shown exceptional commitment to innovation, embracing extensive specialist training and new ways of working to deliver safe, compassionate and patient‑focused care. Working across specialties including gynaecology and urology, they have embedded robotic assisted surgery as a key option for patients, improving clinical outcomes and supporting shorter recovery times through minimally invasive techniques. Through strong multidisciplinary collaboration, the team has streamlined workflows, enhanced scheduling and inventory management, and developed advanced roles such as robotic first assistants to ensure a highly efficient and well‑coordinated programme. From July to November 2023 they delivered 837 cases and now complete over 400 procedures each year, making NHS Ayrshire & Arran the most productive robotic surgery service in Scotland. Their drive, professionalism and dedication have created a model of excellence that will support continued growth and benefit patients for years to come.
Laura McDowall, Community Charge Nurse,Team 12 Girvan/Maybole
Laura has demonstrated exceptional innovation and leadership through her work with the council’s technology‑enabled care team on a significant test of change. Supporting a man living in a remote South Ayrshire village, she identified that traditional community nursing input – over three hours daily – was unsustainable and vulnerable to disruption due to distance and weather. Recognising his potential to self‑manage with the right support, Laura explored digital solutions and proactively engaged with a new telehealth system being piloted locally. She undertook all necessary training, completed comprehensive assessments, and worked closely with community nursing colleagues to ensure suitability. Her forward‑thinking approach enabled the individual to regain independence safely, reducing the need for intensive daily visits while improving his experience of care. Colleagues describe Laura as passionate, collaborative and thoughtful – able to offer expertise confidently while remaining open, humble and solution‑focused when navigating the challenges of cross‑system innovation. Her commitment to telehealth, particularly in rural settings, has already delivered meaningful impact: not only a projected 15‑hour weekly reduction in care input, but greater independence, compassion and dignity for the individual. Now leading telehealth nursing in the Carrick locality, Laura is driving the early stages of the pilot with determination and creativity. Her tenacity and ability to think differently are laying the foundations for a transformed approach to technology‑enabled care across South Ayrshire and beyond.
The Vibrant Voices Singing Group
The Vibrant Voices Singing Group, launched in Ayr in February 2024 and now also running in Maybole, offers free weekly sessions for adults across South Ayrshire with a wide range of communication difficulties. The group provides a welcoming space for people to connect, build confidence and experience the therapeutic benefits of singing, which is known to support mood, speech, breath control and overall wellbeing. By offering an accessible community option, Vibrant Voices also helps reduce demand on specialist Speech and Language Therapy services. Led by Speech and Language Therapist Fiona Burnett, with support from Senior Health Care Support Worker Kirsty Reid and dedicated volunteers, the group has grown to around 70 weekly participants aged 17 to over 90, including those from local care homes. Their enthusiasm, commitment and person‑centred approach have made Vibrant Voices a highly successful and truly innovative project—one that is transforming experiences, improving wellbeing and deserving of recognition for its impact across South Ayrshire.