A BRADFORD doctor has become the first recipient of a memorial shield set up to honour a former colleague.

Steve Jones, an accident and emergency charge nurse at Bradford Royal Infirmary, died suddenly last year at the age of 37.

On Saturday night, at a fundraising ball in Steve’s memory, Dr Imran Rashid, a speciality doctor, was presented with the inaugural Steve Jones Award by Steve’s wife, Julie.

The award which is presented every 18 months to the member of staff who has shown outstanding commitment to the A&E department was renamed in Steve’s honour. Steve himself was a past winner.

Speaking after the presentation, Imran said: “I’m so happy to have won the award I find it hard to put into words. Steve was a lovely colleague and he is sorely missed.

“I would not have been able to win this award without the support and hard work of all my friends in accident and emergency and my parents in Pakistan.

“Since arriving to work in Bradford in 2003, everyone has made me feel very welcome, and I’m absolutely delighted that Julie has selected me for this award tonight.”

While Steve’s widow, Julie, a palliative care nurse, added: “I am absolutely delighted that Imran has won the inaugural shield, set up in Steve’s memory.

“Imran is a brilliant doctor with a fantastic bedside manner who is very thorough in his work and commitment to patients.

”Imran was picked to win because he was the one person who stuck out as being extremely professional, very hardworking and dedicated – yet one who shuns the limelight. He’s the typical person in the background that gets on with their job and doesn’t seek recognition or praise.

“For Steve’s family - and especially our children, Sam (14) and Ellen (10) – tonight was so important in helping to keep Steve’s memory alive and, for us, to have the shield renamed in his honour was a real tribute to the nurse and person that Steve was.”

The other nominates were Sister Lisa Rushworth, emergency nurse practitioner co-ordinator, porters Neil Greenwood and Kenny Ackroyd, Sister Lisa Butterfield, A&E staff nurse, Nicola Odd, A&E registration clerk and Donna Western, ECG technician.

A&E consultant, Tony Shenton, who worked with Steve over 15 years, said:
“All nominees were worthy winners but the Steve Jones Award went to Imran because he is a most hardworking and excellent clinician, who time and time again has gone the extra mile for the department and its patients.

 “He has shown a substantial and often unrecognised contribution to the work of the emergency dept at the BRI and we are delighted that his work has been recognised today.”

More than 100 people attended the ball which also saw the launch of a tongue-in-cheek calendar in Steve’s memory.
More than 22 nurses and other A&E staff – including Steve’s wife, Julie – gave up their free time to be photographed for the fundraising calendar on the set of ITV’s hit show “The Royal” which was filmed at St Luke’s Hospital in Bradford in May.

Julie said: ”The calendar is just fantastic and Steve would have absolutely loved it.

“His last words to me were: ‘Julie I really love you when you laugh and smile’ and it’s such a fitting tribute that the calendar makes people do the same and is such a positive reminder of his sense of humour.”

Funds from the calendar will go to the A&E Charitable Trust Fund which was set up in memory of Steve who was from Guiseley.

The calendar, which is on sale for £10, was launched at Saturday’s ball at the Royal Armouries.

Anyone wanting to purchase a calendar in memory of Steve should contact Catherine Derrick, A&E ward clerk, on 01274-364010.