Top honour for Sheffield nurse for her work during pandemic

Nurse Adele Hague received a BEM for her dedication and hard work in the community and her role in setting up a testing service and vaccination clinics at Sheffield Children’s Hospital during the COVID- 19 pandemic.

She was presented with the medal on April 4 in a special ceremony at the hospital by the Queen’s representative in South Yorkshire, Lord Lieutenant Dame Hilary Chapman DBE.

Adele has worked at the hospital for eight years and is part of the 0-19 service, which ensures children are developing properly and helps mothers and fathers with the challenges of parenthood, such as helping them learn new skills.

On receiving her award Adele said: “I am so humbled. I honestly can’t believe it, but I’m really amazed people nominated me for it as I was only doing my job.

“This award isn’t just for me, it represents the work of everyone in the community team, the COVID testing team and everyone who supported us, including my son who has really helped me in my role, especially during COVID. I am really honoured to receive this award and celebrate the work we’ve done.”

MORE: Nursing: Memories of a matron who met Royalty as she worked from 1950 to 1988 at Sheffield Children's Hospital

In the pandemic, Adele trained as a COVID-19 tester and oversaw the admin team that ran the testing service.

She personally tested over 2,000 people, along with overseeing the logistics of the service that covered the Clinical Commissioning Group, Primary Care, Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust while they got set up.

As the vaccine came available, she both vaccinated hundreds of her colleagues and helped launch Sheffield vaccination clinics.

She also oversaw the recruitment of other 0-19 nurses to the testing service and helped train them.

Chief Executive Ruth Brown said: “I’m thrilled Adele has been awarded with this honour.

“On behalf of all colleagues at Sheffield Children’s, I’d like to thank Adele for the fantastic work she has done and say a big congratulations for this great honour. Her dedication and work ethic has been a huge benefit to the team at the Trust both before and during COVID, and we are so grateful for everything she has done to support our colleagues, patients and neighbouring organisations.

“Adele is role model for all of the 0-19 nurses who she has trained and supported through their change in roles during COVID as well as the colleagues she has supported through setting up of the COVID testing area.

“She has tackled everything with an outstanding can-do attitude, she puts the wellbeing of colleagues to the front of all decisions and worked overtime to make sure the service suits both adults and children and has enabled others to do their job with confidence. Thank you, Adele!”

Prior to working for the 0-19 service, Adele was the Healthy Child Programme Lead for the School Nursing Team covering Sheffield North.

She oversaw a team of school nurses that offered children routine health screening and assessments.