Mental health nurses are key to promoting and supporting recovery, helping patients and clients to live independent and fulfilling lives. They build effective relationships with service users and their relatives and carers.

Open to registered nurses working in mental health services. This award aims to recognise those who have succeeded in raising standards of care for their patients and clients and have made an outstanding contribution to the care of service users.

A registered mental health nurse working in a clinical role or managing clinical services within mental health services across Scotland.

The nominee should clearly demonstrate:

• a commitment to person-centred care, innovation and delivering high quality services that make a difference to the people receiving care
• the positive impact of their work for patients, families and colleagues
• the use of a credible evidence base and/or developing an evidence base to underpin the work for which they are being nominated
• how their work contributes to the delivery of local and national policy and strategy within health and social care.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the awards, please get in touch by emailing scotlandnurseawards@rcn.org.uk

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Midpark Hospital, NHS Dumfries and Galloway

Balcary Ward, a six-bed Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit successfully reduced incidents of violence, aggression, and restraint through the implementation of the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression tool and targeted clinical interventions. The use of these assessments identifies patients at risk, enabling early, tailored interventions. Results demonstrate significant improvements with a 52% reduction in overall incidents, 25% decrease in aggression and violence, and a 61% reduction in restraint episodes. Feedback from staff and patients has driven further enhancement of activity programmes, with anticipated secondary benefits including reduced medication use, lower staff absence, and shorter hospital stays. Data collection and analysis are ongoing, supporting the initiative's continued success and sustainability.

Senior Charge Nurse, Ward 1 IPCU, Forth Valley Royal Hospital

Nominated for her exceptional leadership in transforming culture and staff experience within an Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit (IPCU), Katie is praised for positively impacting patient care. Katie took on the challenge of improving a struggling ward, embracing a quality improvement approach, focusing on understanding ward dynamics, staff, and patient experiences, and fostering a collaborative, therapeutic environment. She led cultural change by engaging staff in shared decision-making, encouraging curiosity, and shifting care from custodial to therapeutic through structured activities and community involvement. Her leadership has delivered tangible results including reduced bed occupancy, staff absence, and improved staff retention. Katie uses data to measure progress in observation practice and physical healthcare improvement projects and has gained local and national recognition by sharing best practice through improvement networks and forums, supporting IPCU leaders across Scotland.

Specialist Nurse for Dementia (Care Homes), Care Home Support Team (Moray), NHS Grampian

Kenny, appointed in 2022 as Moray’s first Specialist Nurse in Dementia for Care Homes, has revolutionised person-centred dementia care in the region. Originally intended for a non-clinical role, Kenny identified urgent needs among residents with distressed behaviours and launched regular clinical clinics in all Moray care homes. His work has significantly improved resident wellbeing and care staff competence. A 2024 evaluation showed that of 148 residents assessed, 98% improved with better pain management and care plans, reducing reliance on antipsychotics. Kenny’s influence extends beyond care homes to hospitals and learning disability services. His model has become a benchmark for excellence, shared widely at professional events, and embodies the principles of Realistic Medicine. Kenny’s innovative and compassionate leadership has had a transformative impact on dementia care across Moray.

Lead Dementia Nurse for Stress and Distress
St John's Hospital, Livingston, NHS Lothian

Frances works to improve the care experience for patients with cognitive decline in St John’s Hospital's acute setting by reducing stress and distress, emergency psychiatric interventions and over-medication with sedatives. Frances led the implementation of the Stress and Distress programme. Overcoming challenges including staff understanding of cognitive conditions, she ran awareness-raising and training. Evaluation showed positive outcomes, including reduced need for one-to-one nursing, sedation and emergency calls, along with improved pain management and decreased complaints. Frances’ work has enhanced patient experience, increased partnership with families and improved staff knowledge. Frances led workshops and presentations to share the programme’s success, leading to its adoption in other settings.

Dementia ANP, Psychiatry of the Older Adult, St Johns Hospital, NHS Lothian

Described by colleagues as a committed advance nurse practitioner (ANP), Melissa developed the role of the ANP in dementia care to enhance patient care and reduce referral to diagnosis. She developed a service which sought to prevent admission and reduce readmission to hospital for people with dementia in care homes. By developing nurse led clinics, Melissa supports West Lothian’s contribution to national HEAT targets by reducing waiting times for diagnosis. She adopts a flexible approach to ensure that the service works across older people’s health services as well as supporting other agencies. Adopting a home first model of care, Melissa strives to deliver as much care at home – providing a complex supported discharge service. Within a year, the waiting times in her area had halved, allowing the post diagnostic support teams to engage faster with patients. Melissa’s approach is already being shared across Scotland and she is now supporting ANPs in other areas to implement her initiative. Melissa is keen to demonstrate to senior management what nursing staff can do when given scope to be innovative in their care delivery.