Diabetes nurse scoops top health award

A lead inpatient diabetes specialist nurse from the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust has been presented with a distinguished award for her dedication to improving patient care.

Paula Johnston has won the British Journal of Nursing’s Diabetes Nurse of the Year Award for demonstrating an individual approach to people living with diabetes by using the essentials of compassionate care and best evidence.

The Southampton-based nurse also won the prestigious accolade for being involved in innovative diabetes projects, such as Start with the Diabasics – a campaign providing healthcare professionals with basic inpatient diabetes knowledge.

She said: “I am absolutely overjoyed to win this highly respected award for doing the job that I love.”

Paula, who is also a Genetic Diabetes Nurse and the Vice-Chair of the Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse Group (DISN) UK, also won the Diabetes Professional of the Year Award at last year’s Quality in Care (QiC) Awards.