Insurance Corporation will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Healthcare Bursary when it’s launched on 12th September 2016. Health & Social Care staff will again have the opportunity to win a prize fund of £3000 to support a worthy project that enhances health and social care provision in the islands. The organisers have announced that there will also be a special award to one of the previous winners to mark their significant contribution to this annual event and to community life.
The Insurance Corporation Healthcare Bursary was started in 1991 by chairman Peter Walpole. Sandra James MBE, who went on to be an HSC board member, took the top prize for her project regarding alcohol abuse in the islands. Since then a variety of entries relating to bereavement, information provision, mental health, cancer care and several social care projects have received the bursary.
‘In the early days we realised healthcare employees with innovative ideas had no obvious method of obtaining funding or support to make their concept a reality,’ says Insurance Corporation Managing Director Mandy Hunt.
‘As a local business, we felt it was important to help out and offer a solution. That was 25 years ago and we’ve been running the competition ever since and there have been some incredible entries from some very hard-working and talented people for us to consider. Understandably, we are very proud to have made this contribution to local life for so long, and long may it continue.
‘I was very impressed with entries last year and looking forward to being part of the judging process again this year, a very special year for the competition. We are always incredibly impressed with the commitment shown by entrants and the depth of knowledge that they show. It is always a challenging day too as choosing a winner and a runner up is not an easy task.’
Last year the £2000 top prize went to Clinical Lead Dietician Myfanwy Datta, Specialist Dietician Rhona Hume and Consultant Nurse Specialists Ann Kinch and Alison Place who proposed to make a short film to promote diabetic education and lifestyle changes to Guernsey residents. The judges agreed that the DVD would be an important reference point for patients and care givers of those with Type 2 Diabetes and hold dietary advice to help enable people to avoid this condition and its associated risks.
The runner up prize of £1000 was awarded to Tobin Cook and Cathy Rirsch from the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation who proposed a research project investigating the exposure level of children to air pollution on walk routes to schools.
Mark De Garis, Health & Social Care’s Chief Secretary says: ‘This is a great opportunity for our staff, and we thank Insurance Corporation for their on-going support with this annual event. We are looking forward to some exciting submissions from our staff this year and encourage as many as possible to take part’.
A selection panel will meet on 28th October 2016 to hear more about the projects from the shortlisted candidates. The presentation will take place midday on 9th November 2016.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE 2016 HEALTHCARE BURSARY APPLICATION FORM
Deadline for entries is 7th October 2016.
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