Awards success for Health, Wellbeing and Care Hub

The Health, Wellbeing, and Care Hub has received award recognition at the Allied Health Professional Workforce Celebration Awards 2025 organised by the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System.

Senior Technician, Kelsey Froomes, was celebrated with the Student Supporter of the Year Award, and the Hub was commended in the 'Innovative Provision of Student Placements' category.

Kelsey received the award for her outstanding commitment to offering pastoral and practical support to students throughout their clinical placements in the Hub. Kelsey is always on hand to put students at ease and offer a caring and supportive environment for students to flourish and grow in their clinical development.

The Health, Wellbeing and Care Hub has a unique approach to enriching the educational experience for students by allowing them to undertake placements within the Hub, based at the University’s Colchester Campus.

Instead of having to travel to other health providers, the students help the Hub’s specialist health professionals deliver a range of key services including neurorehabilitation, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, prehab therapy and Parkinson’s support plus a range of other targeted services. The practical placements form part of building up the skills and experience they need for their future careers.

Students benefit from the opportunity to co-produce, design and mobilise brand new, innovative clinical services; work closely with the wider health and care system in delivering care to our local community, Placements design is integrated and multi-disciplinary with students able to enjoy a supportive, nurturing, innovative placement environment.

Emma said: “Seeing all of our students develop throughout their placements is an absolute joy. Our service users are so grateful for the care and support our students are delivering to them and are always as sad as we are to say goodbye as placements come to an end. Training and developing the future healthcare workforce is a real privilege. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful training facility to offer at Essex.”

Speech and Language Therapist Kate Harrall was also shortlisted for 'Research Champion of the Year' through her role at East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust. Kate works at the Hub supporting student placements and service development alongside her role as Professional Lead for Speech and Language Therapy at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust. She was recognised for her ongoing commitment to clinical research in the world of adult speech and language therapy.

Hub Manager Emma Blowers said: “Congratulations to the entire team for their dedication and outstanding achievements!”