AN NHS worker at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital has been named as a Public Health Hero for helping the police to tackle serious violence.

Carrie Hartwell won the honour from the UK Public Health Register for ‘the passion and knowledge’ she showed on a secondment with the Thames Valley Police Violence Reduction Unit (VRU).

Normally based at the Emergency Department at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington, Ms Hartwell works as a community safety practitioner.

However, between December 2019 and July last year, she also helped the unit with its public health approach to tackling violence.

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By using and sharing anonymised data, such as attendances at the emergency department resulting from assaults, she was able to raise local health issues with the police and local community safety partnerships.

This is part of a multi-agency approach involving local authorities, health, education, policing, national probation, public health, adult and children safeguarding, and others.

All organisations are working together to understand the root causes of serious violence, the aim to identify violence-related problems and prevent further harm to people in the community.

Speaking after receiving the prestigious accolade, Ms Hartwell commented: "I am delighted to be awarded Public Health Hero status.

"Through my role as a community safety practitioner at OUH and while seconded in to the Violence Reduction Unit, I have been able to help drive a health-focused approach to tackling violence.

"The work I have been involved in demonstrates how important it is to share information between those working in community safety and health.

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"By doing this, we can support the care system, reduce inequalities, and most importantly reduce the numbers of people impacted by violence across Oxfordshire.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the VRU, and I would like to thank the team that nominated me and recognised my contributions to help protect and promote the health and wellbeing of people and communities."

Ms Hartwell also praised Rob Way – her line manager and emergency department consultant nurse – who gave her 'endless support, encouragement, and also autonomy'.

Mr Way congratulated his colleague and added that he was 'very pleased' to hear from Thames Valley VRU that Ms Hartwell’s secondment from OUH was so successful in promoting a public health response to serious violence.