A Hull man who has dedicated his life to the care of others has been recognised at a national level.
Paul Johnson, who works on neurosurgical ward, Ward 4, at Hull Royal Infirmary has received an NHS Chief Nursing Officer ‘Gold Award’.
The Gold Award is designed to acknowledge outstanding achievements as well as to recognise those individuals who make an exceptional contribution through a distinguished career in nursing or midwifery.
Paul will be a familiar face to many, having spent 36 years working in local healthcare and the last 13 of those working as the charge nurse on Ward 4. He retired from his role in charge of the ward at the start of this year, but returned the very next day to continue working there part-time as a staff nurse.
Paul received a surprise visit from a group of senior nurses to present him with his award and the news that he’d been officially recognised for his contribution to the NHS, in particular the care he has provided for an often complex group of patients and the support and mentorship he’s shown to his staff.
Leading the presentation party on Ward 4 was David Purdue, Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England (North East and Yorkshire), along with site nurse director Tracy Campbell, care group nurse directors Mel Carr and Natalie Griffiths, and NHS Humber Health Partnership’s Interim Group Chief Nurse, Heather McNair.
“Initially, I thought they’d come to see my new charge nurse, Stacy, but then when I saw the camera, I thought oh no…! Definitely ‘thank goodness’, a bit of relief I wasn’t in bother, but I thought I was going to hit the floor!
“To be told I’d been given the Chief Nursing Officer Gold Award, I was just totally taken aback. I don’t feel I deserve it because it’s not just about me, it’s about everybody; consultants, physios, resident doctors, caterers, cleaners, porters, auxiliary nurses. I wouldn’t have got this award if it weren’t for the team behind closed doors, who people don’t see, that help me out and make my job so much easier.”
Paul’s NHS career in Hull started as a registered nurse in 1989, and while he has worked across a number of different specialties, it was in 2012, when he became the nurse in charge of Ward 4, the specialist neurosurgical ward, that he really found his calling.
Described by his staff and peers as “inspirational”, “compassionate” and “a real patient champion”, Paul is universally respected for his high standards of clinical care and for his role in teaching and developing the next generation of nursing staff.
Asked what he loves about nursing and what brought him straight back from retirement, Paul said:
“I just love looking after people, I love talking to people, getting to know people and their backgrounds, and seeing them get better.
“I’ve learned so, so much over the course of my career working in neurosurgery and there’s a brilliant team on ward 4; I could not have done all of this without them.”
