EPUT nurse wins national award

An EPUT newly qualified nurse has been recognised with a prestigious national award.

Amma Frimpong was awarded the Mary Seacole Award for Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and Inclusion at the recent Student Nursing Times Awards 2020.

Amma, who joined the trust in September, has worked tirelessly to support deprived families and communities in the UK and internationally through voluntary work.

While studying for her postgraduate degree in adult nursing at the University of Essex, Amma set up Bridging Families – a social enterprise that supports and empowers disadvantaged young people and families through education and training.

In the UK, this has included parenting classes for fathers of children with challenging behaviour and an educational youth exchange programme for British black and ethnic minority teenagers and their peers in Belgian, Germany and Sweden.

Amma also arranged for thousands of ex-library books to be sent to deprived areas in Ghana, enabling children and teenagers to take part in reading clubs across the country.

She decided to join EPUT as a newly qualified nurse after completing her placement at the Thundersley Clinic as part of the trust’s district nursing service during the first peak period of COVID-19.

Amma said: “I’m so grateful to have received this award and I look forward to continuing to support people and their families to flourish and be the best versions of themselves - both through my voluntary work and in my new role at EPUT.”

Amma wasn’t the only EPUT nurse who was recognised at the awards ceremony. Newly qualified nurse Jola Tong from EPUT’s Alpine Ward at Brockfield House was shortlisted for Student Nurse of the Year: Mental Health and Nkiruka Caroline Igwilo, who trained at EPUT, was also shortlisted for the same award.

Natalie Hammond, EPUT Executive Nurse, said: “A very well done to Amma, Jola and Nkiruka who have been recognised as being among the brightest talent entering the nursing profession. We’re very lucky that they chose to train and start their nursing career with EPUT.”

The annual Student Nursing Times Awards recognise outstanding nursing students and nurse education across 21 categories.