At its most fundamental, competence is the combination of training, skills, experience and knowledge that a person has. More than that however, it suggests a determination to always do better, to apply lessons learned and to nurture trust – all behaviours which are essential to the provision of healthcare.
This is is why it’s so fitting that the first-ever recipient of the Competence Award was Hanaa Awadh Alshehri, Social Worker with Diaverum Saudi Arabia. From the first moment she joined in 2017, Hanaa has distinguished herself for always finding ways to enhance the lives of the patients she comes into contact with, their families and the wider community. Read on to hear from Hanaa what being the recipient of this award has meant to her.
"Being acknowledged by colleagues around the world with this Award, was an unexpected, but beautiful recognition.I first joined Diaverum almost six years ago, and have worked in two clinics in different regions. In addition to developing my professional skills, I have worked on my academic qualifications – beyond the ability to understand health and social needs, social work is also about having the expertise, clinical and technical knowledge to deliver effective care and treatments, based on research and evidence.
In 2020, I gained a Master of Science degree in Clinical Social Work from Qassim University, in Saudi Arabia. The support I had from my managers and colleagues at Diaverum while pursuing this qualification, played a big role in making it possible.
I truly love my work, and I don’t see myself as an employee with a job to do and a check list to complete.
The social work we do is essential to empowering our patients and their loved ones to live fulfilling lives, so I always try to find new and better ways of making sure they are able to get the most out of our services by utilising all the practical and clinical tools we have at our disposal. I have never shied away from important work and will always try to do the best possible for them. One of the things I am most proud of is acting as a patient liaison with the Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation, to facilitate and increase the success rate of patients being transplanted. I strongly believe that collaboration is essential to delivering life-enhancing renal care, whether it is with my clinic team or external partners around the Kingdom.
From the first moment I became part of the Diaverum team, I’ve worked hard to create a positive, friendly and supportive environment for our patients, alongside with the wider clinic teams. It’s a group that I’m so proud to be a part
of, and I was really hopeful that one of them would be recognised at the Awards. I was beyond happy that Mohammed, a fellow social worker, received the For Life Award – he’s such a role model and a perfect representative for the values of our work.
It was really special to be part of the group that brought home two Awards – and I have no doubt we’ll be the first of many Diaverum Saudi Arabia team members to be honoured in such a way".