Heads of School and the RCPCH Trainee Committee regional representatives are invited each year to submit the regional PAFTA winners to RCPCH for the national PAFTA. Winners were announced in Birmingham at the RCPCH Conference by Dr Emma Dyer, Chair of the Trainee Committee.
It was an absolute joy to be part of the scoring panel for the National PAFTAs again this year, and just fantastic to read all the nominations and hear about the amazing work going on all over the UK by paediatric trainees and supervisors alike. The passion and dedication to paediatrics and the children and young people that we serve is truly inspiring.
All the nominations were highly deserving, and the scoring was very tight between them. The scoring panels had a very tough job! Congratulations to everyone nominated both locally and nationally, and to our national winners – what an amazing paediatric community we have!
We are delighted to announce the winners for 2024.
Educational Supervisor award
Dr Leslie Jackson, Consultant Neonatal Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Glasgow
"I am delighted and very humbled to receive the National PAFTA 2024 award for Educational Supervision. I thoroughly enjoy my role as an Educational Supervisor and the variety of opportunities this affords to support and advise trainees throughout their development and training.
"I am enthusiastic in encouraging trainees to consider a career in Paediatrics and as a trainee progresses through training, take pride in seeing my future consultant colleagues mature and thrive. The role of Educational Supervisor has never been more vital with changes in length of training, current social and financial pressures and the increasing external scrutiny which many areas of our speciality attracts."
Senior Trainee award
Vanessa Sinthuraj, Paediatric ST6 Registrar (Respiratory SPIN trainee), Basildon Hospital, Mid and South Essex NHS Trust
"I am incredibly honoured and overjoyed to have won the National PAFTA award. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the amazing team at Basildon, who kindly nominated me. Despite the hectic shifts, they always work like a close-knit family, going the extra mile for their patients and caring for their junior doctors.
"I feel privileged to be a part of this brilliant profession, where I meet incredible patients with their families and witness the multidisciplinary team making a difference. I owe my success to my wonderful colleagues who have taught and inspired me throughout my training."
Junior Trainee award
Mikaela Frixou, Paediatric ST2, Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital
"I feel truly privileged to have been awarded the national junior trainee PAFTA this year, as I have had the opportunity to work alongside many inspiring doctors in paediatrics. I am grateful to the hard-working team in Aberdeen who make paediatrics a wonderful specialty to work in, and to my colleagues who took the time to submit a nomination.
"Special appreciation is extended to my colleagues and consultants, whose unwavering support, care, and commitment to training have helped me learn and grow, and paved the way for this achievement."