NHS Lothian staff celebrated success at the Scottish Health Awards, taking home four accolades during a glittering ceremony at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange.
The Scottish Health Awards celebrate the extraordinary achievements of those individuals and teams who go above and beyond to deliver compassionate, high quality health and social care to the people of Scotland.
Among the winners was Lucy Duns, Community Midwife, NHS Lothian, who received the Midwife award for going far beyond routine maternity care, providing life-changing support to a pregnant patient experiencing domestic abuse. She recognised subtle signs of distress, offered private, compassionate conversations, connected her to specialist services, and safeguarded both mother and baby. Through extra visits, advocacy, and empowering guidance, she restored the patient’s sense of control and safety. Her dedication, empathy, and courage transformed a dangerous situation into a path toward security and wellbeing for her patient.
Laura Jess, Head of Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Physiology at NHS Lothian, has been awarded the Healthcare Scientist Award in recognition of her transformational leadership in healthcare science. Laura has pioneered innovative, patient-centred services, influenced national policy, and significantly advanced respiratory and sleep physiology across Scotland. A passionate advocate for education and workforce development, she mentors the next generation of healthcare scientists and promotes evidence-based practice. Her leadership, dedication, and excellence continue to inspire colleagues, elevate clinical care, and shape the future of the profession.
Winner of the Allied Health Professional Award, Claire Yerramasu is a highly accomplished physiotherapist and Advanced Practitioner leading the Midlothian Community Respiratory Team at NHS Lothian. With over 26 years of experience, Claire has revolutionised respiratory care, reducing hospital admissions, enabling earlier discharges, and establishing a multidisciplinary, patient-centred model now recognised across Scotland.
A champion of innovation, she integrates digital tools, service evaluation, and independent prescribing into practice. Claire also leads cutting-edge research, including a PhD Fellowship focused on co-developing data-driven risk stratification dashboards. As an educator and national contributor, she is deeply committed to workforce development, patient engagement, and service excellence, cementing her reputation as a leader in respiratory physiotherapy and community care.
Steven Swanson, Senior Biomedical Scientist and Team Leader at Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, was named joint winner of the Leader of the Year Award. Steven transformed the Biochemistry Department into a centre of innovation, collaboration, and patient-focused excellence, achieving over 16 awards for clinical and quality improvements. Steven mentors and empowers his team, fostering resilience, trust, and professional growth. Under his guidance, service delivery has improved through faster turnaround times, reduced errors, and advanced technologies, all while prioritising staff wellbeing and patient care, embodying NHS Scotland’s core values.
The winners were joined by another 6 finalists from NHS Lothian including:
Sophie Wardrop, Pharmacy Support Worker – Support Worker Award
FND Specialist Practitioner Team – Innovation Award
Laura Jeffrey – Team Lead, Adult Complex and Exceptional Needs Service – Integrated Care Award
Dr Ruth Brotherstone, Jody Forster and Samantha Stredwick, were all finalists for the.
Tracey Gillies, Executive Medical Director of NHS Lothian, said: “I’m incredibly proud of all our staff who were shortlisted for this year’s Scottish Health Awards. To be recognised among peers from across NHS Scotland is a tremendous achievement in itself.
“I would like to offer my special congratulations to our winners for their well-deserved awards and the recognition of their exceptional contributions to patient care and innovation.”
