Local Senior Health Advisor, Sister Jenny Evans has won The GUNA Nurse of the Year award – the first year the award has been made since GUNA was set up in 1991.   Jenny who is based in the Blanche Herriot Unit at St. Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, Surrey beat off competition from other nurses who are members of the Genito-Urinary Nurses Association (GUNA) to grab the £1,000 prize.

The competition ran from November to January with the winner announced at the national GUNA conference.   GUNA ran the competition to search for nurses who have gone that extra mile to help increase the level of sexual health nursing that they provide.

Jenny was totally unaware of her application as she was nominated by colleagues in her department as a surprise. The application was submitted in recognition of all her years of service as she is due to retire at the end of this year.   However, Jenny’s work is still in full swing at St Peter’s hospital, she is currently putting together a case for a Senior Nurse position in the department to oversee and co-ordinate all HIV patients and their care.

Jenny said: “It is now 38 years since I qualified as a nurse and 20 since I decided to specialise in sexual health medicine.  I am surprised, flattered and overwhelmed by this accolade and believe it is a reflection of excellent team we have here at St. Peter’s.”

Justin Gaffney, Chairman of GUNA said: “Jenny is exactly the type of Nurse we created this award to recognise. Someone who is dedicated to putting the needs of patients first and providing excellent patient-focused sexual health care.”

Russell Symonds of Durex UK who sponsored the award agreed:  We wanted this award to go to a nurse who used their drive and imagination to make a tangible difference to the day to day service they provide. We feel Jenny has done just that over a sustained period of time.”

Runner up Rita Abigail O Ahamiojie, a Chlamydia screening Nurse with Newham PCT received a signed sexual health nursing textbook.