An orthoptic assistant who was the backbone of the department, and a nurse specialist for benign gynaecology and menopause are our You Made a Difference award winners for December.
In December, we celebrated Dragana Abbott for her outstanding dedication to women’s health and her passion for improving education and treatment for those experiencing menopause and other gynaecological conditions.
Dragana joined CUH from Hinchingbrooke Hospital in 2017 and has devoted her career to women’s health. After many years as ward manager on Daphne Ward, she stepped into a new role as nurse specialist for benign gynaecology and menopause in April 2024. In this role, she provides individualised care, guidance, and support to those accessing women’s health services, making an immediate and lasting impact.
A nomination from a colleague highlighted her remarkable achievements:
Since taking on this specialist role, Dragana has made a huge difference in such a short space of time.
Last October she organised a fantastic stand for Menopause World Day where staff and patients received valuable support and information. Her work has been recognised on social media, including Menopause Matters, and featured in their newsletter, reaching an even wider audience.
Dragana’s dedication goes beyond CUH. She, with assistance from colleagues, arranged a menopause awareness session at John Lewis and has strengthened community links by establishing a networking channel with local GPs. The service is still developing, allowing the opportunity to discuss complex cases, give advice and guidance and reduce unnecessary referrals.
The work Dragana is doing is having a positive impact at CUH and within our local community. It's truly a remarkable outcome.
Dragana has big ambitions to accomplish even more and support many more women!
In January, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Simona Valeviciute, a truly exceptional member of the Orthoptic department. Since joining in July 2022, Simona has been the backbone of our team, ensuring the smooth and efficient running of our clinic. Their unwavering support has allowed clinicians to focus on patient care, knowing that everything behind the scenes is in safe hands.
A nomination from the team sums it up perfectly:
We could not cope without Simona. She supports every aspect of the department – from training new technicians, ordering equipment, and coordinating repairs, to managing the department’s emails, scheduling, and patient queries.
She keeps everything running seamlessly and does it all with kindness, efficiency, and a smile.
Simona’s contribution has gone far beyond administration. She has played a pivotal role in the neuro-ophthalmology service, running technician-led clinics for both adults and children.
Thanks to her dedication, over 600 additional patients per year have been seen—patients who might otherwise have faced delays. Simona has embraced new challenges, learning additional skills to ensure the best possible care for these complex cases.
A true team player, Simona is not only organised, competent, and adaptable but also one of the kindest and most supportive colleagues we could wish for. She approaches every task with compassion, always ready to help, and always putting patients first.
Sadly for us, but excitingly for her, Simona moved on to a new role with Cancer Research UK in January. While we are incredibly sad to see her go, we have no doubt that she will continue to make a huge impact wherever she goes.
From all of us in the Orthoptic department and CUH, we want to say a massive thank you to Simona for everything she has done. You will be greatly missed, and we wish you all the success and happiness in your next chapter!
