To mark Nursing Support Workers Day (23 November), NHS North East and Yorkshire shines a spotlight on three Healthcare and Maternity support workers from our region whose professionalism and dedication make a difference to patient care.

Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) deliver high-quality care and support the work of nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. They assist patients with everyday needs such as washing, dressing, eating, and mobility, ensuring comfort, dignity, and respect.

Working in a range of settings, HCSWs help to monitor patients’ health by taking and recording vital signs and promptly reporting any concerns to registered staff. As well as working closely with the wider healthcare team, HCSWs provide reassurance to patients and their families. They help to ensure every patient receives the care and attention they need to support their recovery. The role can be a stepping-stone to becoming a nursing associate or registered nurse.

Maternity Support Workers (MSWs) support midwives and other healthcare professionals to provide safe, compassionate, and high-quality care to women, babies, and their families. Working across antenatal, labour, and postnatal settings, they help prepare women for birth, support midwives during labour, and assist in caring for newborns immediately after delivery.

MSWs are a vital part of the maternity team, combining compassion and practical skills to support families through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. The role can be a career pathway to becoming a maternity assistant or midwife.

At Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (DBTH) Lauren Lawton, Child Death Family Support Worker, provides exceptional support to families who have experienced the loss of a child. She builds strong, trusting relationships and guides families through their grief while helping them plan for the future. Lauren spent 13 years as a Healthcare Assistant at the Trust, gaining valuable experience in managing challenging situations with empathy and professionalism.

Lauren consistently goes above and beyond, liaising with GPs to ensure parents receive appropriate medical and emotional support, and arranging help for siblings and extended family members. She assisted a bereaved family in finding and moving into a new home – a major step forward after their loss.

Recently, Lauren adapted her approach to support a deaf family, ensuring they received equal access to communication and care. Behind the scenes, she strengthens the child death team by sharing feedback from families, helping improve the service’s responsiveness and quality. Lauren’s dedication, compassion, and innovation make an immeasurable difference to grieving families.

• In June (2025), Lauren (centre) was honoured with a Chief Nursing Officer award for her outstanding compassion and dedication in supporting families who have lost a child. She was presented with her award by Victoria Bagshaw, Deputy Director of Workforce and Education for NHS North East and Yorkshire (left), alongside Karen Jessop, Chief Nurse at DBTH. Photo: Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Lynne Ashcroft is an exceptionally dedicated Health Care Support Worker and Health Trainer (HCSW) at HMP Durham. Her compassion and professionalism enhances patient and staff experiences within the challenging prison healthcare environment.

Lynne’s achievements include transforming the care of a prolific self-harming prisoner who initially resisted medical intervention. Through persistence and empathy, she gained the patient’s trust, enabling vital on-site treatments that safeguarded health, reduced hospital escorts, and improved operational efficiency.

Beyond clinical care, Lynne champions inclusivity through tailored health promotion initiatives for foreign national prisoners, collaborating with Novus to ensure equitable healthcare access. In crisis settings such as the integrated support and segregation units, she consistently demonstrates calm expertise, delivering critical interventions like cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with resilience and empathy.

Admired by both staff and prisoners, Lynne  embodies the NHS values of compassion, respect, and professionalism, earning recognition as an inspirational figure within HMP Durham and the wider healthcare community. Lynne (left) is pictured with Karla, Head of Healthcare at HMP Durham. Photo: Spectrum Community Health CIC.

Jane Puntin, is a Maternity Support Worker at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust. An invaluable member of the community midwifery team, Jane provides exceptional support to women and families, particularly around infant feeding, where her knowledge and compassion shine.

Jane builds trusting relationships, as shown when she supported a woman struggling after a traumatic birth through daily visits and calls, helping her regain confidence and feed successfully. She runs New Beginnings and Infant Feeding classes, offering inclusive and reassuring care. Jane’s kindness, adaptability, and passion make her deeply valued by colleagues and families.

Victoria Bagshaw, Deputy Director of Workforce and Education for NHS North East and Yorkshire, thanked Support Workers across the region for their contribution to patient care.

“I’m delighted to have this opportunity to thank Support Workers for their compassion and dedication to patient care,” she said. “Healthcare, maternity, mental health and other support worker roles provide comfort and reassurance to patients and their families. We’re deeply grateful for their commitment to improving patients’ wellbeing and for their support to clinical teams, and trainees starting out on careers in the NHS.”

• For more information about NHS Support Worker roles, including their day-to-day duties, training and career development, visit the NHS Health Careers website.