Today we are pleased to announce the Children’s Wellbeing Team at Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC) as the winner of the Health and Wellbeing Award. Their story is captured below by journalist and TV Presenter Catriona Shearer.
ECHC Children’s Wellbeing Team works within the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, delivering activities and support to help children and young people to have a positive hospital experience. And they are the very worthy winners of the Health and Wellbeing Award.
The judging panel for the Scottish Children’s Health Awards was amazed at the sheer scale of what the team does, providing support from the moment the hospital journey begins. Fiona O’Sullivan is the Director of Children’s Wellbeing for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and manages the Arts Programme, Youth and Family Support Service and their Volunteer services. She says the team is “extremely grateful for the nomination,” and – with far too much modesty, “shocked that we won. We’re extremely flattered to have been considered for this award, and grateful to the children, young people and their families for all the kind words and wonderful feedback.”
But with a six-day-per-week programme of arts and activities geared at making a hospital stay as positive an experience as possible for children and families, it’s no shock the team was recognised with this accolade – especially when they transform the hospital so that ‘wards become discos, dragons soar through waiting areas, and bedside curtains become galleries’. That all acts as a valuable distraction for the children and young people, in addition to the practical support provided by the team.
Fiona also uses her skills outside the hospital to make a difference and volunteers every year to run the children’s village panto and flower show. Her passion is working with children and young people and says “they’re so inspiring, creative and fun”. We’re sure the children who experience what ECHC Children’s Wellbeing Team provide think exactly the same of Fiona!
Congratulations on winning the Health and Wellbeing Award.
Scottish Children’s Health Awards
The Scottish Children’s Health Awards have been created to celebrate courageous children and those who are making a difference to the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland. Children are precious and so is their health and wellbeing. When families leave their children in the care of practitioners, they also hand over responsibility for their health and wellbeing. The Health and Wellbeing Award celebrates a team who are making a difference to the health and wellbeing of children and young people – whether in school, in hospital or in the community – through treatment or advocacy.
