A NURSING team based at Penarth's Marie Curie hospice have won a national award for the care they provide to those living with a terminal illness

The Personal Development Support (PDS) team is made up of deputy ward sisters Gill Davies, Rebecca Thomas, Jenny Staddon, Marla Muir and practice development facilitator and registered nurse Pam Penman were successful at the charity's annual Peacock Awards.

The team won in the innovation category and were presented with their trophy at the awards, which took place at the Foundling Museum in London, last week.

In 2016, the training and development needs for the whole clinical team at the hospice was reviewed and an action plan was put into place for mandatory training and to facilitate learning opportunities for staff.

The aim was to help improve staff engagement and morale.

The PDS days were introduced by the team for all in-patient unit clinical staff and this work has continued through 2017.

The nationwide awards, now in their fifth year, were set up with the help of The Peacock Charitable Trust and showcase the care and dedication demonstrated by staff across the charity.

The awards celebrate both teams and individuals who are nominated by their colleagues.

Pam Penman said: "Myself and the whole team were delighted to find out we had been nominated for the award.

"When planning the PDS days, we needed to ensure that we not only provided compassionate care at the hospice but that our commissioners, patients and their families could also be assured that the care we delivered was evidence based and built around individual need.

"We’re all really proud of what we’ve achieved and it is a fabulous recognition for the team’s hard work and for all those we have worked with over the last 12 months."

Jenny Staddon said: "It was a great evening and really nice to meet all the other nominees. The moment they announced that we had won the award was amazing. For us all to be recognised like this is a really proud moment for everyone’s hard work but we couldn’t have done it without the support of everyone at the Cardiff and the Vale hospice, who have played a big part too.

"One person in we want to say a big thank you to is the manager of the hospice, Paula Elson, for nominating us for the award as without her support the PDS days wouldn’t have been possible."

Staff Nurse Gwyneth Davies was also highly commended in the leadership category for her work in putting together activities for patients to mark special occasions throughout the year, during the Six Nations, Wimbledon and at Christmas.

Dee Sissons, executive director of Nursing at Marie Curie, said: “Everyone had a wonderful time at the awards last week and it was an honour to be able to present the PDS team with the innovation award for all of their work.

"The Peacock Awards is an event I always look forward to attending and it gives not only me, but the charity an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work of the individuals and teams working in Marie Curie’s caring services, who provide care to so many people with a terminal illness and their loved ones throughout the year."