To be honoured as the recipient of the Gantley Award in 2022 is a breath taking moment.   The founding members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association fought so hard with integrity to make this union a voice for fairness for staff and service users.

3 colleagues were seriously assaulted in 2016 despite nearly 40 incident forms flagging the risk. These assaults should not have happened. Staff safety and patient safety were ignored.  I wrote to the Health and Safety Authority in the hope that Mental Health Services would be shown their risk management was inadequate. A landmark prosecution occurred in 2022.  I knew that I would be supported by the PNA as our Union cares about staff and service users. It is a privilege to have my name on the Gantley Award alongside people who contributed so much to making conditions for staff and service users better. Thank  you to Mrs Mary Gantley for her foresight in promoting the award.