‘Exceptional’ nurse scoops prestigious award

A Mid Cheshire Hospitals nurse received a prestigious award for her ‘exceptional’ work to help patients with diabetes.

Tracey Molyneux, who is based at Leighton Hospital, claimed the title of Advanced Clinical Practitioner of the Year for Cheshire and Merseyside.

In their nomination, colleagues highlighted many areas where Tracey has made a huge difference to diabetes services, including:

• supporting young adults with type one diabetes who struggle to manage their condition;
• a pilot programme which took diabetes care into nursing homes to ensure patients get the support they need;
• and her overall dedication to developing the inpatient diabetes services at Mid Cheshire Hospitals. 

Tracey started her career with Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, beginning work at Leighton Hospital in 2000 and completed her training in 2003.

She worked as a District Nurse, Practice Nurse and Nurse Manager in the community during the next 12 years.

In 2015, Tracey returned to Leighton Hospital as a trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner, working with the acute medical team.

One of her professional highlights during that time was presenting the findings of her Masters research at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Berlin.

As a qualified Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Tracey helped to shape the Trust’s inpatient diabetes service.

The success of this work led to Mid Cheshire Hospitals being highlighted in NHS England’s Five-Year Plan as an example of an ideal inpatient diabetes service.

In October 2022, Tracey became one of the Trust’s first Consultant Advanced Clinical Practitioners and shortly after that she was appointed as the specialty lead for the diabetes and endocrine service.

Following her outstanding success and contribution to diabetes care, Tracey received her honour from NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s annual Advanced Practice Awards.

She collected the award during a celebration with colleagues at Leighton Hospital.

Tracey, who is also a Network Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse for Cheshire and Merseyside, said:

“I was honoured to be nominated and completely overwhelmed to win the award of Advanced Clinical Practitioner of the Year.

“I want to thank all the members of the diabetes specialist team for their dedication, commitment, and motivation in making my ever-evolving visions a reality. They truly make a difference in supporting people living with diabetes.”

Dr Douglas Robertson, Consultant Diabetologist and Endocrinologist at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, nominated Tracey for the award.

He praised her ability to inspire her team, promote diabetes services, support safety, conduct and use research, organise education for colleagues, and improve care for patients.

Dr Robertson, who is also Clinical Lead for Outpatient Recovery and Transformation for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said:

“Tracey is an exceptional colleague with a balance of drive and the ability to engage and inspire others.

“She is a complete clinician, compassionate with patients, autonomous but flexible in her working practices, supportive and empowering of clinical colleagues and dogged in her pursuit of safety measures and the resources to make things happen not just at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, but across the integrated care system.”

Pictured - Tracey Molyneux, pictured holding her certificate, celebrated with colleagues at Leighton Hospital. Dr Douglas Robertson, pictured first left, Consultant Diabetologist and Endocrinologist at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, nominated Tracey for the award.