Care Support Workers and Maternity Support Workers Day Thank you 1

24 November 2025

We would like to thank you for all that you do!

Here are some messages from your colleagues to show you how much you are appreciated��

I would like to say that our support workers in Core do an absolutely fantastic job. They are always willing to help and we could not manage without them. On a personal note, I would like to acknowledge Pat Green for the wonderful job she does in parent education. She is such a good support to us and the women love her friendly attitude. She really is a diamond.

I just wanted to say how invaluable the support workers are, from keeping the unit in order to keeping the staff updates to changes in environment and patient concerns. You are the ones in contact with the woman and families the most and pick up on subtle changes that might otherwise get missed. Can I make a special shout out to Sarah Parr who always goes above and beyond in her role. She lifts my load immediately with her presence.

So grateful for all our MSW'S, the support they give is immeasurable.

Special thank you to Amy-Jo Love for all her hard work in Emerald! .

Susan Fidelis-Osasalways happy and smiling and brightens up my day. Thanks for all you do Susan.

Enjoy your maternity leave I will miss you, Penny.  I love working with Jade Armitage she is so 'on it'. Smiling, friendly and hardworking and an asset to the team.

Zoe Robertshaw for going above and beyond after I offered to wash my patient’s hair.

Kelly Egan - always makes me smile and is a great support to us midwives and the women of Barnsley. Thank you, Kelly, don’t ever change. Love prison Penny.

I would like to recognise Karen Ferguson and Sarah O’Mara for their outstanding contribution to the smooth running of our clinics and for the exceptional support they provide to colleagues. Although I have not worked with them for long, it has been an absolute pleasure each time I have. Both Karen and Sarah know the clinics inside out, and their knowledge, insight, and attention to detail are invaluable. They care passionately about the work they do, and it is evident in the way they approach every clinic session—calmly, confidently, and with a genuine commitment to patient care. Our clinics are often busy and fast-paced, and as someone who is still relatively new to the clinic setting, I have felt welcomed, supported, and encouraged by both of them. They have taken the time to show me the full workings of the clinic, answering questions, sharing their expertise, and ensuring I always feel included and prepared. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Karen and Sarah. Their teamwork, kindness, and professionalism create a positive environment for staff and patients alike. I am truly grateful for everything they do, and I thoroughly enjoy working alongside them. It is for these reasons that I proudly nominate both Karen and Sarah for recognition during Staff Support Week.

Chrissy Lawrenceworks non-stop on every shift and her hardworking doesn’t go unnoticedthanks for all you do for us midwives and the women of Barnsley.

Our lovely Lynn Clay is the most kind and caring person you could meet.  It is a pleasure to work with Lynn, she always goes above and beyond to support women and their families and is always willing to offer a helping hand and support where she can.  We are truly lucky to have such a fabulous maternity support worker, who has worked an amazing 36 years for the NHS.  You are so appreciated ��

Lisa Mason for being an absolute angel in elective sections. She does EVERYTHING and is so on it. Super organised, kind and caring. I love it when Lisa is on a shift!

Charlotte Sung - such a hard worker and so kind and caring towards the women and the staff - she makes the care personal to women - for example making women a warm drink before bed (tea trolley) just what the women need. Thanks for all you do for the women and the midwives.

We’dbelost without all of our support workers andIthank each and everyone ofthemfor allthey do.Myshout out goesto Mel Dickinson forbeingour wing womanintriage when we are workingalone andtoSarahParrfor lookingafter us andalways ensuringthat we arefedand watered withlittle plates of snacks when we aretoobusyfor our breaks! ❤

Katie Reece - suchahardworkermandsosupportivetowardsallus idwivesandthe womenshecares for.

Oftenpulledfrompillowtopost fbutnevercomplainsandIamgrateful Torallyoudoformeandthewomen. hanksforthe teaandtoasttrolley too.

Vikki Jagger is such a hard-working member of the ANPN team. She quietly just ‘gets it done’ without any fuss. As a midwife who has worked in Barnsley for a long time, she has always been her lovely, friendly self to me from when I first started as a Band 5, through working with her on the ward as a Band 6 and now as a specialist midwife, she has always treated me as part of the team, thank you Vikki.

Sarah Parr an absolute star and I honestly don't think BBC could manage without her.

So grateful for all our MSW'S, the support they give is immeasurable. Special thank you to AmyJo Love for all her hard work in Emerald!

Lisa Mason - such a credit to us midwives. I am grateful for everything that you do for me and the women of Barnsley. Don’t ever under estimate the difference you make and how much you are appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I would like to recognise Sarah Parr for her exceptional contribution to our department and her unwavering commitment to supporting both patients and colleagues. Sarah is a true blessing to our team. She consistently goes above and beyond in her role, ensuring that our patients receive the highest standard of care while also looking after the wellbeing of her colleagues. She is the person who notices when someone has missed their break, hasn’t had a drink, or is overwhelmed, and she quietly steps in to make sure everyone is looked after. Her kindness, awareness, and compassion make an enormous difference on even the busiest of days. Sarah’s dedication is matched by her passion for her work. She cares deeply about her role and her team, and her commitment is inspiring to all who work alongside her. Most recently, she took it upon herself to organise the department Christmas hamper and to identify colleagues who will not be with their families on Christmas Day— despite being one of them herself. This thoughtful act perfectly reflects the generosity and empathy she brings to her work every day. Sarah embodies the values of our department and the NHS. She lifts morale, strengthens team spirit, and ensures that every person feels valued. It is for these reasons, and many more, that I proudly nominate Sarah for recognition during Staff Support Week.

My appreciation is to Susan  Fidelis-Osas although she struggles some days with her pregnancy, always willing and helpful with a smile.

A little message of thanks for our lovely Sarah Bailey in Sapphire team. She is such an amazing support for us, organises our booking clinics so they’re ready to go, if we need anything from stock, support in clinics, help with visits, she’s straight on it. More importantly our women love her. Not forgetting the support she offers to core too when they need help.

Charlotte Sung is always on the ball never complains and goes over and above making staff a cuppa and toast when we are busy.

SarahParr -themostkindandcaring personIknow. Nothingisevertoomuch forSarahandIamverygratefulforall thatshedoesformeandthewomenof Barnsley . Abeautifulsoulwithabig heartandverymuchappreciated .

From Our Leaders

The team of support workers in Maternity do an incredible job each and every day.  Their compassion, patience and dedication bring comfort and strength to families during one of the most important moments of their lives.  Their quiet kindness, skill and unwavering support make a world of difference, and their work truly helps create safer, more joyful beginnings for parents and babies alike.  I feel very privileged to work alongside you all every day Bek, Theresa, Mel, Claire, Zoe, Natasha, Ruth and Gemma, from Lizzie.

Hi Susan, Selina, Lisa H, Vicky, Katie, Charlotte, Kelly/Summer, Chrissie, Lisa M, Heather and Stacy, I would like to thank each and every one of the team, they go above and beyond every shift, have suggestions to make working life better. They are a team in their own right but are the foundation for our team. Their roles makes me able to do my role, thank you each and every one of you  I �� also want to mention support workers in community, BBC and ANDS who support our ward daily, thank you from Vicki.

PleasecanIgiveabigshout outtoLeahandJade,without theirdedicationandsupport, theinfantfeedingteam wouldnotbesuchan amazingservicethatsupports anyonethatneedsitfrom SarahBeardsall.

From Our Leaders

I would like to nominate Lynn Clay for her outstanding commitment and support. She is always willing to help, and nothing is ever too much. Lynn ensures that every service user’s needs are met whether that is giving directions to other parts of the hospital or supporting the choice in NRT to stop smoking. She has worked tirelessly as part of the Smoking in Pregnancy Team and the Mental Wellbeing Team and prior to that the larger Wellbeing team which included Teenage pregnancy and Substance misuse service.  She has also stepped in to support other areas when needed. Service users consistently give her excellent feedback. Her positive attitude and strong work ethic deserve recognition. Thank you, Lynn, for everything you do from Walburgh.

I would like to nominate Pat Green for embracing the challenge of co-facilitating the antenatal education classes and for the excellent feedback received from attendees. Pat’s support has helped deliver high-quality sessions and improved the experience for expectant parents. Thank you Pat from Walburgh.

From Our Leaders

I just wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for everything Sarah Parr does behind the scenes to support our maternity bereavement service. Her dedication to ensuring that supplies are well-stocked and organised may seem like a quiet role, but it makes an enormous difference to the families we care for and to the team delivering that care. Her attention to detail and reliability help create a calm, prepared environment during some of the most difficult moments in people’s lives. Please know that your efforts do not go unnoticed Sarah—they are deeply valued and truly integral to the compassionate service we strive to provide. Thank you for being such an important part of this work, Michelle and Ellie.

Thank you !

Thank you

OurCareSupportWorkers andMidwiferySupportWorkers are essentialto the smooth runningof our service.Theyprovideinvaluable supporttothe women andfamiliesin our carebut whattheyalsodois support us! They arethere with a smile, akind word, a cupoftea, afunnystoryor ahug when we needit.Thank youto each and everyone of youforbeingyour amazingselves ��

Support workers in community are essential. We could not run without them x x x

I am very grateful for each and every maternity support worker at Barnsley. They are the backbone of maternity services and we couldn’t do what we do without them. Thank you to each and every one of you I appreciate all that you do for us and for the women of Barnsley.  Don’t ever forget what a difference you make  xxxx

So thankful for our support staffwe could not do our job without them - so caring, supportive and knowledgeable.

I just want to say a huge thank you for everything you do. Your care, compassion, and dedication shine through every single day, and it makes such a difference to the mums, babies, and families we look after. You are the quiet strength behind our team—the reassuring smile, the helping hand, and the calm presence when it matters most. We all see how hard you work, often going above and beyond without expecting recognition, and I want you to know how much you are valued and appreciated. Barnsley wouldn’t be the same without you all, and we are all so proud to have you as part of our maternity family.

I’d like to take a moment to express just how much we truly value our incredible CommunityMSWs. We honestly couldn’t do what we do without them — they go above and beyond every single day, makinga real and lastingdifference across all our communityteams.

Amazing!

I just want to say a massive thank you to all the incredible support workers I have the pleasure to work alongside!

Tracey and Amyleigh in the day unit, Sarah, Karen and Angie in ANC, and Leah and Jade in my Infant feeding role , who without them all, my world would not turn. Their positive attitude, endless amounts of humour and unlimited cups of tea, makes an amazing impact to both staff and patients!

Yourprofessionalism, compassion, andteamwork donotgounnoticed, andIamtrulygratefulforall thatyoudo. Thankyouforyourcontinued tcommitmentandformakingapositiveimpacton helivesofourpatients.

angels!

I am genuinely grateful I am for the support the Maternity Support Workers have provided. Throughout caesarean sections and on the ward, their help has made such a noticeable difference. They’ve consistently been calm, kind, and proactive, often seeing what needs to be done before anyone even asks.

Their reassurance, practical support, and ability to create a comforting environment for women and staff has been invaluable. I’ve really appreciated how approachable they are and how willing they’ve been to share their knowledge and skills. It’s clear how much they care, and it’s had a huge positive impact on both patient experience and the smooth running of the team.

Thank you for everything you do it doesn’t go unnoticed.

Even Better Together – A Poem for MSW Day written by

Sharon Tunnacliffe for the Culture Champions

In quiet strength, you walk beside, Through every moment, hearts open wide. Hands that comfort, voices that cheer, You bring reassurance, calm, and care near.

In antenatal day services, your guidance shines, Supporting families through changing times.

In community care, you reach each door, Bringing equity closer than ever before.

At Barnsley Birth Centre, hope takes flight, You cradle beginnings with gentle might.

On antenatal and postnatal wards, you stay, Holding mothers and babies in the safest way.

Even Better Together is more than a phrase, It’s lived in your actions, in countless ways.

From gentle words to steadfast hands, You help each mother feel she stands.

You lift our teams, you ease the strain, You carry hope through joy and pain. In every corridor, ward, and room, Your presence turns challenge into bloom.

So today we pause, with heartfelt pride,

To thank the support workers by our side.

For in maternity’s journey, one truth rings clear: We are even better together—because you are here.