Care on Camera

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Care on Camera photography competition with the Royal Photographic Society

The results of our national photography competition, Care on Camera, were announced at RCN Congress on Saturday 18 June.

Anthony Baines from Kent won the Gold Award for his photograph, Community Nursing Care at Home, chosen from more than 800 entries.

The Silver Award went to Conrad Lee from Hastings for his image of a theatre nurse called Scrub angel, while Stephanie Ashley from Watford received the Bronze Award for her photograph Moving out.

The Omnicell by Phelim Garrett-Hanna from Dundee was Highly Commended.

Alistair Maclean from Gibraltar received the Gold Award for under 15’s for his image Nursing Rocks.

The People’s Choice Award, voted for by the general public, went to Kate Fawcett from Scotland for Musical Entertainment from a Hospital Bed, captured at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

The competition, launched in collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), will create a photographic record of nursing in 2016.

The shortlist of 49 images, including the winning photographs, will now form a touring exhibition visiting schools, libraries, and various health settings around the UK as part of our centenary celebrations.

View the shortlist in full below.

Supported by NHS Employers

Touring Exhibition

If you would like the Care on Camera touring exhibition to visit your workplace, please email your details to rcn100@rcn.org.uk.

Supported by NHS Employers

Winners

Anthony Baines: Over 16's Gold

Community Nursing Care at Home

This picture sums up several elements of modern nursing practice. The nurse in the picture is a community nurse, who is looking after an elderly patient at home in his flat. The nurse is dressing a wound on the lower leg. Each of these elements represents common facets of modern nursing. Community nurses are vital to the health and wellbeing of the community as a whole, especially in the context of the ageing population: the daily work of community nurses with elderly patients allows them to live healthily and independently.

Conrad Lee: Over 16's Silver

Scrub Angel

Scrub nurses have crucial roles within an operation. All the instrument and tools are each positioned and handled with precision to help the surgery go smoothly. Even in the midst of the night, our scrub nurses perform these extraordinary tasks that have helped save millions of lives

I work as a surgeon and I have always really appreciated the importance of scrub nurses as part of the surgical team. I took this photo of our scrub nurse to convey their professionalism and dedication in surgery. Using the theatre lamps, I wanted to emphasise our scrub nurse from the dark background as a metaphor to their readiness for life saving operations even at night.

Stephanie Ashley: Over 16's Bronze

Moving Out

When Rosie was told that she had a bed on the ward, I knew that I absolutely had to capture her departure. She was our sickest patient for a while and we were all so delighted when she began to recover from meningitis. Rosie had learned to walk again, slowly worked on her appetite and regained power of her hands.

For me, this picture captures the very important therapeutic and nurturing relationship between nurse and patient. ICU nurses will not just save your life, but they will help you to rebuild normality. That diversity, makes them special.

Phelim Garret-Hanna: Over 16's Highly Commended

The Omnicell

For this image I hoped to reflect the modern role of the nurse. The Omnicell - a computerised medicine cabinet - is a perfect example of how nurses have adopted 21st century technology in order to provide safer care.

Alistar Maclean: 15 and under

Nursing Rocks

This photo of my mother was taken in one of the many tunnels through Gibraltar. I chose to submit it because I thought it was something you wouldn't usually expect a nurse to be doing. I think that this portrays the face of modern nursing.

Kate Fawcett: People's Choice

Musical Entertainment from a Hospital Bed

The well-known adage 'there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle' became a reality when 93-year-old violinist Alan Cairney serenaded staff and patients from his hospital bed in Ward B31 at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

This picture reflects the happiness he brought to so many people. His musical renditions not only set feet tapping but proved to be a great hit, especially with nursing staff, who commented how his repertoire cheered everyone up.

Shortlist

Aaron Parke

Hot Desking

As the CPN (community psychiatric nurse) working on the community (street) triage team, police control requested I attend an agitated, suicidal male an ambulance team were speaking to outside a homeless hostel in Stoke.

I felt this shot had good 'atmosphere', summing up how our work environment is not constant and that we are often meeting individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others late at night and with few support services open and available.

Our decisions are often crucial to a person's safety and our team has been a great success in helping multi agencies work together effectively on the frontline to support those in crisis.

Fatima Arantes

Light

I wanted to capture the moment of commitment and dedication to study of the health care assistant. The image makes a parallel between light and the freedom that knowledge brings us.

Ana Gómez

A Reflection of Care

As a passionate neonatal nurse with a love for photography, I was excited about this competition. With this photograph I want to showcase some of the aspects of the role of the neonatal nurse. I kept my lens away from the intensive care area and took several shots during the night in special care, where babies are almost ready to be discharged home.

Imke Daugs

Baby with Nurse

I chose this particular image because by definition and by choice nurses are very caring people.

For me this image shows perfectly the special bond that is often formed between patient and nurse.

Adam Duckworth

Kas Brings Hope

Kas is a dedicated cancer nurse in the Hope Unit at Leicester Royal, a treatment unit where clinical trials are done. I am a patient there, undergoing treatment for myeloma, on a Myeloma X1 clinical trial and Kas is my dedicated nurse.

Facing life with a chronic illness is tough, and going twice a week for intravenous chemotherapy for six months takes its toll on even the most positive of patients. Kas is a beam of light in the darkness for many patients, including myself. Always positive and smiling, he brings hope to many who are facing the darkest of times.

Brian Rybolt

Stitching

This image shows the cooperation between the two nurses who are seemingly at ease on the one hand while the patient looks stressed. The lighting focuses our attention to the patient even though the main physical focus is the interaction between the nurses. For me, it’s an interesting dynamic.

Amina Abu El Hawa

A Night In A&E: Every Second Counts 2

I joined A&E a year ago and all I ever read and still read are reports it is not proficient in the way of saving lives. I have witnessed many incidents that have changed my personal view, and left me in awe of the staff’s astounding care and dedication. Since seeing this competition, I decided that it was time to change the public's perceptions. I aim to show the amazing job that the staff of a working A&E perform every hour of every day in challenging circumstances to ensure that loved ones are returned to their families.

Ben Chapman

I'm Just Visiting, She's Not

My wife suffers from ulcerative colitis, she attended the treatment investigation unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn to receive her medication and I joined her on this occasion; her 1st transfusion, this is her last hope in controlling her illness other than surgery, all other medications no longer work.

The message behind the photo is: the multi-practice of the modern NHS, technology in the foreground and traditional manpower, nurse, in the background.

Brian Rybolt

Tracheostomy Procedue

The intensity of the nurse who is very focused with caring attention was quite moving to me. Her patient’s benign acceptance of this procedure stood out in contrast to her nurse’s determination.

Caroline Taylor

We had travelled to Tunis to collect this three month old baby who was very unwell and were returning by air ambulance to undertake treatment in Bristol. I feel the picture captures the hostile demands of working in the air with limited space but also the ability to optimise the care required. The picture captures a rare field of nursing but also the utter bond between a mum and her baby.

Colin Philips

Save our Bursary

For me this protest is a great example of current NHS students, nurses, midwives, AHPs and supporters, such as the RCN, taking the time to organise, to come together, to demonstrate their care for future NHS students, the NHS and demonstrating their care and commitment for their patients.

This demonstration was a true example of selfless motivation, all the people in this protest care deeply about the removal of the bursary and the devastating effect it will have. Judging by the amount of people and how vocal they were, their care really shone through all the way from St Thomas’ to Downing Street.

Chris Porsz

At the White Board

I am a paramedic and amateur photographer and to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of Peterborough City Hospital, I spent five months recording everyday life in the hospital.

This image illustrates how, in just five years, the nursing handover has been transformed from the informal coffee room meeting to the high-tech whiteboard. It shows the frantic pace and teamwork of HCAs and nurses. One sister on her mobile checking the bed state, another rushing off and the HCA checking on a patient’s location. In the background a visitor looking for a relative and an empty computer chair that no one has time to sit in.

Christine Malcolm

Modern Nursing

When I saw the title 'Nursing in Diverse Settings' I instantly thought of NHS 24.

Where else do you assess a patient without being able to see them?

This is a truly diverse area of nursing which requires enhanced listening skills and a high level of professional judgement on each and every call. Our nurses are constantly given the opportunity to expand their knowledge, learn from each other and develop in their roles. No two calls are ever alike, ensuring knowledge is put to the test each and every day. NHS 24 truly represents the face of 'modern nursing'.

Claire Parkinson

Scope of Practice

This photograph portrays the versatility and advanced skill set in modern day nursing. Endoscopy nurse practitioners are a shining example of the advancement and scope of the nursing role.

This endoscopy nurse practitioner took an interest in endoscopy and has gained qualifications to perform a flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, a procedure traditionally performed by doctors.

She is also part of a multi-disciplinary team that set up another local endoscopy unit, maximising access to services. As a student nurse I am exposed to many departments and wards. I feel this has lent me opportunity to discover the versatility of nursing, whilst inspiring my future career choices and development.

Conrad Lee

Needle Point

Teamwork, concentration and precision are all required in the operating theatre. Every usual task is checked, rechecked to ensure safety, This photo shows our scrub nurse and theatre staff working together as they prepare crucial medications for the operation.

I took this photo in between our theatre cases. I watched our theatre nurses set up the surgical instruments attentively, and so I captured this photo to show this element of theatre nursing.

Adam Duckworth

Lyd

Lydianne – or Lyd to anyone who knows her – is a senior research nurse at the Hope Unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary, where I am undergoing treatment for myeloma.

Among all the research and scientific data gathering that can potentially be an extra stress for patients, Lyd is the very human face of nursing who helps patients like me through the tough times. Lyd cares not only for each patient, but also about the effect the disease can have on the family and close friends and goes out of her way to treat the problem as a whole. From the clinical to psychological issues. Always with a smile, never afraid to answer any tough questions and always with humanity and care.

Corinne Delargy

The Teacher

I hope this image creates awareness and recognition for the essential learning disability nurse role. The learning disability nurse not only empowers individuals to access the right help for their health and social care needs, they also support people with learning disabilities to make healthy choices, reducing health inequalities. Additionally, they advocate on behalf of the patients, teaching people about emotional health and wellbeing. Finally, they are committed to making sure reasonable adjustments are made in hospital where necessary. Care is their core business.

Donna McCabrey

Caring at the Heart of the Community

Hilary Blakely is a Palliative Health Care Assistant for the South Eastern HSC Trust, working alongside the district nursing team, going out to the homes of patients in their end stage of life and doing in her words "whatever they need". We went to photograph her at the home of a client after being inundated with thank you cards from people who say Hilary became "a part of their family" in the time leading up to their loved one's death.

Sam Irvin

Community Nurses 07

The pictures were part of my graduate project in my final year of the documentary photography degree course at University of South Wales, Newport. The project investigated the working lives of two community nurses in South Wales. One in the rural setting of Usk and the other (the one featured in these photographs) in the city of Newport.

Sarah Robinson

One Last Check

The picture was taken in Sierra Leone while I was working at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Ebola Treatment Centre. This was during the peak of the epidemic when patient numbers and mortality rates were at the highest.

I chose to take the picture to show the lengths staff had to go to work in the high-risk zone. When I started, I was told that a failure to wear personal protective equipment properly, would not only put myself at risk but all my colleagues as well. From that point, we worked in pairs, each checking our own clothing and each other’s.

John Cole

Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

I wanted to capture the care, warmth, empathy and sometimes gentle humour that NHS nurses show when they are working.

Joy Beresford

Teamwork

I took the photo as, having returned to hospital nursing after work in the community, I was struck by the selfless teamwork that nurses display on a daily basis, which allows them to deal with the large volume of patients in an efficient and caring manner.

I submitted this particular photo as it shows a nurse and a senior ophthalmic technician demonstrating a highly skilled procedure in a manner that combines modern techniques with the traditional caring skills that nurses have displayed throughout the 100 years of the RCN’s existence.

Nathan Little

Student Nurse Studies

I chose to take this photo because it shows the 'behind the scenes' of nursing. We all know it's not an easy task to practise nursing, but as well as that there is a lot of theory that goes into it. I chose a student nurse because there is a huge amount of gruelling studying that goes into being the best, and this is shown in a lone student staying behind after his lecture to learn.

Jules Bambridge

The Night Staff

I knew that I wanted this specific image. The clock represents the 24/7 service we provide. We care enough about or patients to do 12-hour night shifts with loving care and compassion. I also love the hospital at night, it has a lovely atmosphere. This image was taken on the maternity unit at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Simon Glazebrook

Simulation Training

I took this photograph to highlight the hard work of the team at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust to develop the SimWard. They have successfully created a high-fidelity, fully immersive environment that uses technology to recreate a wide range of clinical environments. This allows the team of nurses and medical faculty to facilitate learning for nurses, medical staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team; improving patient safety at the trust and in the wider region.

Simon Pawlin

The Resus Nurse

I challenged myself to take a series of portrait photo’s that showed clinical staff working normally in their environment. I didn’t want the pictures to look too ‘documentary style’ but also not staged either. So, to do this, I shot without flash, with a wide aperture and as slow a shutter speed as I dared.

I submitted this photo because I really like the framing and I feel there is a sense of strength and confidence in the subject’s pose. I like the way the nurse is looking directly at the camera. I think I would feel safe in this nurse’s hands.

Julian Claxton

This image shows action in Accident & Emergency as nurses speedily push the patient through the department in a busy UK hospital.

Kendra Schneller

Help...I need Somebody...Not Just Anybody

Often it takes a long period of time for our client group to trust us. We help aid this by being a service that acts like a one stop shop, providing a multitude of services in one place. The hands of the nurse in the picture are able to assess, diagnose, prescribe and treat, all of which can be done in one contact. Many of the clients distrust health services and do not address their health needs until they are at crisis point and very often it's too late. These enhanced skills mean that they don't have to go to several other services to have their needs met. It is often very difficult to get clients to an appointment and more so if they have to go on a different day. This photo depicts the concept of ‘making every contact count’.

Kevin Murphy

Facing Fears

What drew me to capture this moment was the wonderful connection between nurse and individual in that moment. The lady (patient) was nervous and the nurse’s compassion and care shone through to calm her. They were connected with eye contact, words and touch through their hands. I was also keen to capture the nurse’s position at the same level to the patient, again displaying her compassion and more importantly respect, during what was, a potentially life changing moment.

The picture was taken at Nurture Africa’s voluntary counselling and testing clinic for HIV in the Lifeline Medical Centre, Kyebando and Wakiso District, Central Uganda.

Madeleine Heath Kelly

Here to Listen

I chose to take this photo as it depicts the area of nursing in which I work, and which I believe is very diverse. This shot embodies the core of mental health nursing; Listening to a person's story and building a therapeutic relationship with them. Mental health wards can be extremely busy, demanding, unpredictable and noisy, so this photo is a reminder of the most important part of our job. It is so important to people's recovery to provide them with time off the ward, away from the hospital environment to engage with us on a one-to-one basis.

Natasha Cook

A proud father cutting our baby girls cord with the help of our supportive midwife

When my partner and I had our first baby Abigail in 2013, we went through a very traumatic delivery. My partner Dave was unable to cut the cord, due to the emergency and the speed with which doctors took her to the neonatal unit.

With our second daughter, we were delighted when the consultant offered us a caesarean. Dave was desperate to be able to cut the cord, and the consultant left some so that he could experience what it felt like. With the help of Sarah our compassionate midwife he succeeded.

Rachel Smith

Building Trust - Homeless Nursing Outreach

This photo was taken in a day centre - a faith NGO (words which are more commonly associated with gap years perhaps). I wanted to show how we go outside of traditional hospital or home settings to reach homeless people, and work over long periods to gain trust, sometimes it can be years before they will step through the clinic room door.

As a team, we diagnose many blood born virus, infectious diseases, type 2 diabetes, mental health disorders and treat chronic conditions / wounds. We stand beside our patients: advocating for them in main stream services to show they are valued and worthy of care with dignity and respect.

Roxana Whiteman

I chose this image because it tells a story. A story that begins with the art of being there for people and enhancing their care with art activities based on their senses.

I started my social enterprise UNCOVER – Happy hearts through art, in my second year at university. Its aim is to improve the lives of members of the Dearne Valley area, where I live, and I have been providing tailored art activities based on individual needs ever since.

Barbara enjoys taking part in art activities and looks forward to my visits.

Kendra Schneller

Open All Hours

This image represents the very holistic way our team provides health and social care for our marginalised clients. We have to take into account the social aspect as well as the physical and mental health aspects at every opportunity. This picture is taken at an NGO day centre where clients can come to see the nurse, have a meal, take a shower, get a change of clothes or see a benefits advisor. I wanted to show the many different hats our nurses have to wear at the same time, to meet the needs of the client group and to show the flexibility of the service we provide.

Sam Irvin

Community Nurse 08

I initiated the work as a response to a study that had suggested community nurses could be extinct by 2025 due to the lack of new, younger district nurses and wanted to find out more about the roles these nurses played in their patients' lives.

Simon Pawlin

The Assistant

With this picture I wanted to capture not just registered nurses but unregistered health care workers as they play such an important role in caring for our patients. I like the expression on the subject’s face as it difficult to define the emotion. Tiredness? Contentment? Stress? Distraction?

Sue Smith

Age UK Armchair Exercises

This is the weekly Age Uk armchair exercise class run by myself at Kingsley House Nursing Home in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. I chose to take this photo because I wanted to portray the warmth and sense of fun shown by Matron when encouraging her residents to join in with the armchair exercises.

Vanessa Hurley

Karaoke Kool

I have worked for 35 years alongside and supporting people who have a learning disability. Throughout this time we have worked together to change culture, attitudes and discrimination. Learning disability nursing is often a forgotten field, and has resulted in unequal access to health care. Damon spent the morning with me at his residential home, showing me the great things he has achieved in his life including his hobbies and interests. This photo depicts a togetherness, equity and how life should be for the people we support. Music can be a powerful tool to help recovery and has been an essential form of communication for people with a learning disability.

Vanessa Lozano

Manju Luckson, PhD. Promoting Research Culture

Myself and Manju met before the shoot took place to discuss her ideas. Often research images can be misread as clinical images, because of the nature of activity involved in the image. We wanted to exemplify the best and unique images which explore and promote research by a nurse. Manju also wanted to illustrate how diverse the role of a nurse can be, herself being a divisional research manager and quality lead in a clinical research facility. We decided to take a documentary style approach to the project and I observed Manju doing her daily tasks whilst trying to capture candid images that convey her diverse job role.

Wanda Machnicka

Nursing in the 'Extreme'

Rose (Critical Care Nurse), supports a person with spinal cord injury as they participate in a 'rescue drill' while undertaking an RYA sailing course, at the Calvert Trust (Lake District, UK). Back-Up Trust volunteer nurses support people with spinal cord Injuries to participate in outdoor activities.

Rachael Fessey

The Hard Slog

I have always loved photography and wanted to do something to combine my two passions (photography and my nursing job), so when I received an email telling me about the competition I was instantly inspired. This was my chance to show that nursing isn’t just in the hospital; it is wherever the patient may be. As pediatric nurse I work with a team across Worcestershire, which sends us challenges in many forms. We have had 4x4s to get us to patients requiring complex nursing care in the most remote locations. I wanted to show that we sometimes wear wellies with our uniforms!

Phelim Garret-Hanna

The Listener

I wished to capture an image of a nurse sharing a meaningful, compassionate connection with a patient, which I feel is and should be at the heart of our role. I feel this image reflects that. It was exactly what I hoped to capture.

Rachel Murphy

Aseptic technique

I chose to take this picture because as a nurse myself I like the look of concentration many nurses have when taking part in tasks such as removing clips. Aseptic technique is so important in nursing and I wanted to highlight this in my picture.

Page last updated - 03/08/2019

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Care on Camera

Care on Camera photography competition with the Royal Photographic Society

Touring Exhibition

Supported by NHS Employers

Winners

Anthony Baines: Over 16's Gold

Conrad Lee: Over 16's Silver

Stephanie Ashley: Over 16's Bronze

Phelim Garret-Hanna: Over 16's Highly Commended

Alistar Maclean: 15 and under

Kate Fawcett: People's Choice

Shortlist

Aaron Parke

Fatima Arantes

Ana Gómez

Imke Daugs

Adam Duckworth

Brian Rybolt

Amina Abu El Hawa

Ben Chapman

Brian Rybolt

Caroline Taylor

Colin Philips

Chris Porsz

Christine Malcolm

Claire Parkinson

Conrad Lee

Adam Duckworth

Corinne Delargy

Donna McCabrey

Sam Irvin

Sarah Robinson

John Cole

Joy Beresford

Nathan Little

Jules Bambridge

Simon Glazebrook

Simon Pawlin

Julian Claxton

Kendra Schneller

Kevin Murphy

Madeleine Heath Kelly

Natasha Cook

Rachel Smith

Roxana Whiteman

Kendra Schneller

Sam Irvin

Simon Pawlin

Sue Smith

Vanessa Hurley

Vanessa Lozano

Wanda Machnicka

Rachael Fessey

Phelim Garret-Hanna

Rachel Murphy