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Durham nursing support worker recognised with highest ºÚÁÏÍø honour

12 May 2025

Durham nursing support worker Kevin Morley has been recognised with an ºÚÁÏÍø Award of Merit, the highest honour for voluntary service to the ºÚÁÏÍø.

Kevin Morley with his Award of Merit at Congress 2025 in Liverpool 800x400

Held to celebrate the very best in nursing, the annual ºÚÁÏÍø Awards took place today, on International Nurses' Day, at ºÚÁÏÍø Congress in Liverpool. Awards were given to ºÚÁÏÍø members who have made outstanding contributions to ºÚÁÏÍø members and to the nursing profession. Honours were also awarded to this year's Learning Representative, Safety Representative and Steward of the Year. The Award of Merit recognises those who have gone above and beyond to support fellow ºÚÁÏÍø members.

Sarah Dodsworth, Regional Director for ºÚÁÏÍø Northern Region, said: “The ºÚÁÏÍø Awards are presented to those who have made an outstanding contribution to nursing, either in their area of professional practice or in their support of their peers and colleagues. Kevin’s commitment to nursing support workers and the wider membership is simply inspiring. He has been the voice and conscience of nursing support workers on ºÚÁÏÍø Council and throughout the wider College, raising their profile in so many ways, including the launch of Nursing Support Workers’ Day. He always puts the needs of the members, of patients and of nursing, at the very heart of everything he does. Kevin is a deserving recipient of the Award of Merit and we in the region could not be prouder.”

Carolyn Mason, Chair of the ºÚÁÏÍø Northern Board said: “Kevin has worked incredibly hard to support members and ensure that the voice of nursing is heard far and wide. I am delighted to see his work recognised.”

Kevin has been a nursing support worker (NSW) since 1978 and currently works as part of the multi-professional community district nursing team based at the Bishop Auckland Hospital where he looks after young clients and cares for their individual psychological needs.

He has served on the ºÚÁÏÍø’s Nursing Support Worker Committee for some six years (2017 to 2023) and became committee Chair in 2021. As Chair he worked tirelessly to amplify the voice of the NSW workforce in the College. Against all odds and during the Covid pandemic Kevin led the way to successfully launch the very first national Nursing Support Workers' Day in 2020. It is now an annual event in the ºÚÁÏÍø, NHS and social care calendars.

Kevin subsequently joined the College’s governing body, ºÚÁÏÍø Council, to represent the ºÚÁÏÍø’s nursing support worker membership in 2023. 

Kevin is an accredited ºÚÁÏÍø steward, helping to resolve workplace issues and disputes and representing staff in workplace consultations. He also works on behalf of his local County Durham and Darlington branch and was a member of its executive committee from 2016 to 2018 and again in 2020.

Page last updated - 12/05/2025