‘A bit of a shock’ – Flaws stunned by leader of the year win

AN NHS Shetland official who was named Scotland’s leader of the year at a health awards ceremony last week said it had been a “big surprise and a bit of a shock”. 

Lucy Flaws, who is head of planning at the health board, picked up the prize at Scotland’s Health Awards in Edinburgh’s O2 Academy on Thursday.

Flaws said she had been “really surprised to be shortlisted in the first place”, and had not expected to have to go on stage to collect the award.

“I was absolutely not expecting to win,” she said.

“I didn’t really know what they were looking at, and when I looked at how strong the other nominees were I wasn’t expecting to be chosen.

“But it was really nice to pick up the award.”

Flaws said she had been “trying not to feel like an imposter” during her first day back at work on Monday, with her friends and colleagues offering up “lots of congratulations”.

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“Everybody has been so lovely, just really kind,” she said.

“It’s really been heart-warming. I was kind of surprised at the attention, to be honest.

“It’s been nice to have some good news for the NHS as well.”

She said she could think of anywhere between ten to 20 other NHS Shetland workers who should be given awards for their work.

“I wouldn’t say I stand out among them,” she added.

Thursday’s awards ceremony gave Flaws a chance to meet other NHS staff in similar lines of work to herself, and she said it had been “really good to meet different people” and hear their ideas.

Flaws’ role sees her overlook how services are delivered in Shetland.

She said she is focused on how these services can be delivered better for people, and particularly “better for people that might struggle to access our services”.

“We’re thinking about how can we do that better by them, and how we do that with the resources that we have,” she said.

NHS Shetland works “really well together” with different services and organisations in the isles to ensure that people are receiving the best care they can, Flaws added.

She thanked her “tiny but excellent” planning team for her help in winning the award, and NHS Shetland’s “really good leaders” – such as Brian Chittick and Jo and Elizabeth Robinson.

Flaws also gave a “big thank you” to everyone that has congratulated her, and to “all of the other excellent teams in Shetland”.

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