The NHS Lanarkshire communications team, who produce The Pulse, are well used to writing about the awards that are often won by our staff.

But in this edition we’re celebrating our own success – at the first NHS Scotland Communications Awards.

Communications officer Euan Duguid was voted Communicator of the Year by a judging panel comprised of senior communications experts.

NHS Lanarkshire also scooped top prize in the category for Best Partnership Health Campaign, thanks to our Reshaping Care for Older People (RCOP) project.

We were finalists in six of the 11 categories.

Communications officer Fiona O’Dowd was shortlisted for Young Achiever. Our website manager Yvonne Law was up for the Best Health Website award for the Health Improvement Library project.

The online version of The Pulse, which is overseen by Fiona, and the weekly staff briefing, put together by project officer Alison McCutcheon, were both shortlisted for Best Staff Newsletter.

We had a second nomination in the Best Partnership Health Campaign category, for communications highlighting health and social care integration integration, spearheaded by Euan and communications manager Calvin Brown. Our pioneering tool to evaluate the media coverage achieved by NHS Lanarkshire, developed by communications manager Marysia Waters, was among the finalists for the Best Use of Innovation prize.

Communicator of the Year Euan said: “It’s been a privilege to work closely with first class communications teams in NHS Lanarkshire and North and South Lanarkshire councils as well as those involved in the respective RCOP and integration agendas.

“Special thanks to the patients, service users and carers who let us into their lives and allow us to relate their experiences.”

NHS Lanarkshire chair Neena Mahal said: “I’d like to extend my warmest congratulations on the outstanding achievements of the communications team at the awards. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contribution and dedication.”