Leading consultant paediatrician from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust wins inspirational leadership award
A consultant paediatrician at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has won an NHS Inspirational Leader of the Year award.
Dr Bob Klaber won the NHS Inspirational Leader of the Year award at the annual London Leadership Recognition Awards, held on 20 November. The award recognises those who inspire others to achieve great things, placing quality at the heart of everything they do, and being tireless in changing the system for the benefit of all.
Bob was nominated for this award by Nick Prince, Chair of the Trainees' Committee at the London School of Paediatrics, for the work he does to improve training programmes and support junior doctors across London. Since starting as a consultant at the Trust in 2009, Bob has been involved in leading and developing a wide range of educational, leadership development and service initiatives, both within the Trust, and across London. At the heart of this has been a commitment to supporting, energising and enabling junior colleagues to take on new challenges, to make improvements to patient care and to lead change.
On receiving his award, Bob Klaber said: “I am hugely honoured to have been nominated for this award by a group of our trainees. We have worked really hard as a team to develop an outstanding culture of learning and innovation within the Children’s Services at the Trust and across paediatric training in London, and I feel so privileged to work with such dedicated and inspiring colleagues.”
By winning the regional award Bob will now go forward to the National Recognition Awards, the winners of which will be announced in early 2015.
Additionally, blood sciences specimen reception manager, Beata Szitasi-Sieha, was highly commended in the NHS Development Champion of the Year category. This award recognises role models who champion the setting of high standards and leadership behaviours.
Beata has successfully mentored and assessed over 250 people through their laboratory and associated technical activities, customer service and management qualifications.
She promotes a good quality service for patients through happier, more fulfilled staff who feel supported and valued. The results of her encouragement have seen staff going on to study for degrees and professional registration.
Beata said: “I’m honoured and humbled to be recognised in this way. I would like to share this recognition with the 250 students who I have worked with over the past nine years. The award has helped raise the profile of the work we do in the pathology department and for me it’s been wonderful to see people develop their skills, feel confident in their abilities and build a career within the NHS.”
