A Warrington man has won an Innovation Champion Award for launching a highly successful North West Dyslexia Network for NHS staff in the region.
Barrie Morgan from Great Sankey was given the job of Dyslexia Ambassador and asked to set up a staff support group at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, four years ago.
Earlier this year he was encouraged to reach out to staff in other NHS organisations – but found that nowhere else had a similar support group.
This led to him creating the North West Dyslexia Network, which now has more than 30 members.
Barrie said: “When people come to the support group meeting, you can see the ‘light bulb’ moment, when they speak to another dyslexic person and understand that another person does things in the same way they do, which is a real comfort and positive feeling.”
Barrie has developed resources to support staff – he runs awareness days and has enlisted an army of specialist speakers for ‘question time’ events.
He has explored resources within Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and has worked with the Optometry department to promote staff referral, via their GPs, to a Specific Learning Difficulties Clinic.
This clinic looks at the visual stress of the person, how they read on the page and if colour will aid them in reading.
He added: “I’m very passionate about dyslexia and want to help and support as many people as I can.
“This comes from knowing how it feels to be in a role or a work situation and without the correct support and understanding from colleagues and managers, the feeling of frustration in not being able to perform at the best of your ability, knowing inside you know it is something you can do.”
His aim is to use the network to bring together all NHS organisations within the North West to learn, discuss and support dyslexic staff.
Barrie was nominated by Training Consultant Lynn Ireland who said: “While working with Barrie I recognised his capabilities in terms of engaging with others and I asked if he would consider being a Dyslexia Ambassador for the trust – this was the first time we had tried something like this.
“Barrie agreed and with very minimal support set up the Dyslexia Support Group.
“It was only a few months ago that I muted the idea of a regional network to Barrie and he has run with it and set it up in a very short space of time.
“I see Barrie as a very positive role model for the dyslexic workforce not only at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals but across the wider NHS, particularly in the North West.”
He was one of two Cheshire men who were presented with the awards, sponsored by the Innovation Agency, at the North West Adult Learners’ Week Awards for Health and Care.
The event, led by Health Education England in the North West, celebrates lifelong learning in all sectors involved in health care.
Owen Ashworth, of Runcorn, was recognised for widening engagement with local residents – influencing the design of a new urgent care centre and producing easy-read information leaflets.
His appointment as an admin assistant in the communications and engagement team at NHS Halton CCG was a big achievement as it was his first job application – and there was competition from more than 70 other applicants.
But having spent a year on a work experience placement with the team he was able to impress with his ideas and enthusiasm.
The third Innovation Champion Award was the ‘Use of social media award’ presented to the Greater Manchester Kidney Information Network (GMKIN), a joint venture between the Hope Patient Kidney Association and the University of Salford, funded by the British Kidney Patient Association and British Renal Society.
The Innovation Agency is the Academic Health Science Network for the North West Coast area, with the aim of driving innovation in health care.
The NW Adult Learners Week Awards partnership, led by Health Education England, straddles the public, private and third sector bringing people together.
The joint campaign is about working better together by effectively sharing knowledge and increasing understanding. Campaign partners also include North West Employers and Voluntary Sector North West.
