Cathy Harrison, an advanced nurse practitioner at the Sheffield Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, based at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has been named the Nursing Times’ Nurse of the Year.
Cathy has brought transformational change to the care of patients with bleeding disorders not just in Sheffield but nationally and across the world. The judges praised Cathy as “an excellent role model of professionalism, tenacity and passion, consistently going above and beyond expectations”.
Cathy has served the blood and bleeding disorder community for nearly two decades, advocating for and raising the profile of chronic, but little-known bleeding disorders both in the NHS and within the community.
As an expert nurse at the Sheffield Haemophilia and Haemostasis Disorders centre, she provides comprehensive care to a range of adults with inherited bleeding disorders, including haemophilia and von Willebrand’s disease, and acquired conditions such as acquired haemophilia and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).
Her dedication to her patients is ceaseless, and she has worked with patient organisations to support understanding and raise awareness of the conditions. She has also worked with the global bleeding disorders community within her role with the World Federation of Hemophilia, to share knowledge and experience with clinicians in the developing world.
She has co-created a national education course for nurses and allied health professionals to deliver bleeding disorders care to patients. She is also part of a wider group of nurses developing further education materials and updating of the national competency framework. This adds to work she completed in 2018 evaluating the value of the nurse specialist role within bleeding disorders.
Cathy Harrison, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in haemophilia and associated haemostasis disorders at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It was amazing to win this award and for the recognition of the work within these rare diseases. It was fabulous to see the fantastic things that nurses are doing across the country, just a reflection of what is going on every day in nursing practice globally. Thanks to my matron, Rachael, for the nomination and for the vote of confidence from patients, family, friends and my local, national and global peers from the bleeding disorder community. I hope that in the coming year this award will allow us to raise awareness about bleeding disorders care worldwide.”
Dave Gort was born with a genetic bleeding disorder that causes his blood to take much longer to clot. He said Cathy was a “deserving Nurse of the Year winner” as her calm and quick-thinking demeanour “literally saved his life” after an emergency situation where he lost pints and pints of blood.
“Haemophilia affects me by taking much longer than usual for my blood to clot. Because of the antibodies I developed, I don’t respond to the usual treatment – Factor 8 – as my immune system recognises that the Factor 8 is not its own and raises my antibody level to fight the treatment.”
“Cathy is a deserving Nurse of the Year winner because of her dedication to the role. Alongside her vast clinical knowledge, everything she does is undertaken with care and compassion, a cheery manner, and most importantly, a sense of humour. Cathy also thinks more broadly about the ‘haemophilia family’ – so not only those affected – but also parents, siblings and partners too, providing them with reassurance, and a listening ear.”
