Northern Trust celebrates Leadership Challenge success for second year in a row

A team from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has won the Royal College of Nursing’s HSC Leadership Challenge for the second year in a row.

The annual event is designed to simulate the pressures and responsibilities of senior executive roles within a health and social care setting, with participants tackling complex, real-world scenarios to test their ability to lead, make decisions under pressure, and uphold the highest standards of patient care.

Congratulating those involved, the Northern Trust’s Executive Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Women’s Services, Suzanne Pullins, said: “I am delighted that Team North has won the Leadership Challenge for the second year in a row.

“The day presents a fantastic opportunity for nursing colleagues to learn from each other as part of their professional development, giving them a unique insight into leadership roles. It was a pleasure to watch our teams excel across the various challenges.”

At the close of the event, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, addressed the participants, commending their dedication and leadership. Highlighting the importance of nurturing future nursing leaders, Nicola then presented awards to the standout teams which recognised excellence in overall performance, communication skills and future nursing leadership.

Commenting on the experience, RCN Northern Ireland Executive Director, Professor Rita Devlin, said: “This is not just a competition, it’s a powerful learning experience which is centred on preparing our nurses for the future, giving them the confidence and skills to lead with compassion and clarity in complex environments.

“Many congratulations to all of the teams who took part but particularly the Northern Health and Social Care Trust who won the overall award. All of the judges were extremely impressed by the quality of nursing staff who took part in this event, many of whom are the nurse leaders of tomorrow.”