BCHC nurses and nutrition teams celebrate success at national awards
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) is celebrating after receiving national recognition at the Complete Nutrition (CN) Awards, which honour outstanding achievements in clinical, medical and health nutrition across the UK.
The awards recognise individuals, teams and organisations that have made a significant contribution to the nutrition profession and improved outcomes for patients through innovation, dedication and excellence in care.
Olivia Muhlwa (in main photo), BCHC's Lead Nutrition Nurse for Learning Disabilities, was named Community Nutrition Professional of the Year. The award recognises Olivia's outstanding leadership, clinical expertise and commitment to supporting adults with learning disabilities and their families.
Speaking after receiving the award, Olivia said she was delighted that Learning Disability Nutrition Nursing had been recognised and valued. Olivia was keen to praise her team colleagues and says the recognition highlights the impact of the specialist support they provide which makes a difference in people's lives.
Olivia said: "This recognition means so much because it highlights the impact of our work and the dedication we share in helping people achieve the very best outcomes. Supporting people and their families is a privilege, and I look forward to continuing to champion this important area of care."
BCHC also celebrated success as part of the Birmingham and Solihull (BSoL) Children's Dietetic and Nutrition Nursing teams, who won the Sustainability Initiative Award. Emma Butt, Senior Lead for Nutrition Nursing, Sue Meredith, Professional Lead for Paediatric Dietetics and Shirley Phillips, Paediatric Dietitian Team Leader, worked with clinicians from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust on a project to reduce plastic waste associated with enteral feeding across acute and community services.
The initiative demonstrated how small but meaningful changes can deliver significant environmental benefits while maintaining high-quality patient care. Over two years, the programme reduced the use of 158,400 feeding containers, prevented 353kg of plastic waste and cut carbon emissions by 2.7 tonnes.
The team said the achievement reflected the power of collaboration, innovation and a shared commitment to creating a more sustainable future for healthcare.
“We are absolutely delighted to have received the Sustainability Initiative Award. This achievement reflects the power of collaboration, with three NHS trusts working together to make meaningful changes that reduces plastic waste from enteral feeding, across acute and community sectors for Birmingham and Solihull's diverse population."
These achievements showcase the expertise, dedication and innovation of BCHC staff and their partners, and the positive impact they continue to make for patients, families and communities.
The Complete Nutrition (CN) Awards are annual UK awards run by Complete Nutrition (CN) Magazine to celebrate excellence and innovation in the nutrition and dietetic industry.