iCQ Awards sponsors the Our Health Heroes Awards 2025
iCQ Awards were proud sponsors of the Operational Support Worker of the Year award at Our Health Heroes, celebrating the achievements of those who are vital to the day-to-day running of our healthcare system. As a qualifications and End-Point Assessment provider to the healthcare sector, we see their care and commitment first-hand.
At the ceremony, which took place on 22 May in London, we found out that Hayley Pedwell, Information Assistant at Macmillan Cancer Care, had won the Gold award.
Hayley noticed that the Macmillan Information and Support Service had limited information about religion and cultures and the impact a cancer diagnosis can have on individual patients’ ability to practice their religion. She took it upon herself to independently design, implement and report on a project that improved direct patient care and support, and enhanced the Service’s information provision.
Lois Ward, Communications and Engagement Officer at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, took home the Silver award. Lois started her communications career as an apprentice and has continued to develop ever since. She single-handedly revitalised the 25 year old hospital intranet, collaborating across the hospital to collate and design information over thousands of pages. It is now a vital resource for everybody working at the foundation trust.
The Bronze award went to Brian Taylor, Ambulance Welfare Officer at North East Ambulance Service Unified Solutions. Brian’s on-the-job personal support for ambulance staff in difficult working conditions has had hundreds of colleagues praise him for cheering them up and providing a safe space to take a breather. He even asked for access to a vehicle tracking system so he could attend the busiest hospitals to reach the most staff and improve ambulance handover and turnaround.
The achievements of these three winners highlights not only the huge contributions that every worker makes, but how varied and wide the experience needed in the workforce is. This requires a complex matrix of skills and job roles – something that we are proud to help support in delivering.
Dennis Twomey, Managing Director at iCQ Awards, attended the awards and says:
“Our Health Heroes celebrates the outstanding achievements of those in our health sector. I was honoured to attend and to present the Operational Support Worker of the Year award. All three finalists in this category were truly deserving, each demonstrating remarkable dedication, innovation, and passion in their roles. It was important to see them take a moment out for the day to celebrate what they’ve achieved.”
