A team of heart specialists from the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank have proven they are ‘all heart’ after being presented with a prestigious award by a UK heart failure charity.
The Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service received the Team of the Year ‘You’re Marvellous’ award from the patient community of the Pumping Marvellous Foundation.
What makes the award win even more special, is that the team, and Perfusionist Justin Mulhearn in particular, were commended by a patient who needed to have a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) implanted as a bridge to heart transplant.
The patient wrote: “Justin was regularly at my bedside to answer my questions and deal with my fears.
“Since my implantation two and a half years ago, the Golden Jubilee team have always been there. Indeed, I have 24/7 access to the whole team at the Golden Jubilee including an emergency VAD line, which I have not yet had to use, thankfully.
“Justin and the team certainly go above and beyond the normal call of duty and he has played a big part in saving my life and keeping me well.”
The award comes as the Golden Jubilee National Hospital marks 10 years as home to regional and national heart and lung services – including the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service.
Justin Mulhearn, Senior Clinical Perfusionist, said: “We are honoured to receive this award from the Pumping Marvellous Foundation and would like to thank the patient for taking the time to nominate us.
“This patient’s positive experience is testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire heart failure team. With the support of our heart failure nurses, perfusionists, transplant co-ordinators, physiotherapists, and psychologists, we have given him the opportunity and confidence to go home, be amongst his loved ones, and continue doing the things he loves most.
“Since receiving his VAD, he has never looked back, he has embraced the technology and continues to live life to the full.”
Nick Hartshorne-Evans, Founder and Chief Executive of the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, commended: “We would just like to say a big well done for winning our Team of the Year award.
“This is a prestigious award and is highly valued by our patient community. We feel there is no higher accolade than being chosen by patients."
