Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management (NHFM), the estates and facilities subsidiary of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, is celebrating a remarkable achievement—securing finalist positions in two prestigious national awards.
The team has been shortlisted in both the MyPorter Awards and the MyCleaning Awards, recognising the dedication and excellence of healthcare porters and domestic staff.
Karen Horan, Head Porter at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in Cramlington, has been named a finalist for the Leadership of the Year Award. Meanwhile, the Rapid Response Domestic Services Team has been shortlisted for the Healthcare Cleaning Team of the Year Award. 
Both award programs shine a light on the often-unsung heroes of healthcare, acknowledging their role in patient care—whether directly or behind the scenes.
Karen’s journey to healthcare portering is nothing short of inspiring. After serving in the British Army for 22 years, she transitioned to a new career in 2021. Despite having no prior NHS or portering experience, she quickly earned the respect of her team for her no-nonsense yet supportive leadership style.
Chris Campbell, soft services manager at NHFM, praised Karen’s impact stating; “Karen’s nomination is a testament to her hard work and dedication. She has not only excelled in her role but has also made a real difference for her team— modifying rotas to improve service coverage and ensuring a better work-life balance for her colleagues.”
The Rapid Response Domestic Services Team at NSECH was created to address staffing shortages in domestic services. The hospital’s fast-paced environment made recruitment and retention a challenge.
To tackle this, NHFM introduced the ‘Your Shifts, Your Way’ initiative, allowing staff to choose flexible working hours based on personal commitments. This approach attracted individuals who struggled with traditional rota commitments, enabling the formation of the rapid response team.
Starting with just 11 members, the team has now grown, providing essential support to ward domestics by handling urgent cleaning tasks such as HPV cleans and patient discharges. Their work has significantly reduced infection risks, improved bed availability, and maintained high cleanliness standards across the hospital.
This initiative has also had a positive impact on staff well-being—boosting morale, reducing absences, and improving retention. Their dedication has been widely recognised, earning praise from patients, visitors, senior management, and healthcare staff.
Brian Cowan, Chief Operating Officer for NHFM, expressed his pride in the team’s achievements:
“I couldn’t be prouder of Karen and the rapid response team for reaching the finals of the MyPorter and MyCleaning Awards. These awards recognise those who work tirelessly behind the scenes in healthcare settings, making a significant impact on patient experiences.
“Becoming national finalists is an outstanding achievement, and I wish them the very best of luck in the finals.”