A Filipino won the award of ‘BAME Nurse of the Year’ in UK

A Filipino was instrumental in supporting his fellow healthcare workers and countrymen in Oxfordshire. This is during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Hence, he was recognized as BAME Nurse of the Year.

On May 6, the 2021 National BAME Health and Care Awards was held virtually. Jose Ariel Lanada won the “BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) Nurse of Year”. It was for being a nurse at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust.

Jose Ariel Lanada is a graduate of Central Philippine University. Before moving to Oxfordshire in 2002, he worked at the Iloilo Mission Hospital. He is also an associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and a distant professor at Central Philippine University, aside from being a nurse.

The National BAME Awards was launched in 2019 by a “group of passionate volunteers from the health and care sector.” The awards aim to recognize national health service staff from BAME backgrounds.

Along with another nurse from the NHS Foundation Trust, the Iloilo-born nurse said he is “incredibly honored” to win the award. There were 10 nominees for the award.

In a press release from OUH, Lanada said,

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be able to support my colleagues and the Filipino community. This has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone, and the teamwork demonstrated both in our hospitals and across the community has been wonderful to see. It has never been more important to support each other, and be there for each other.

“The award gave him a ‘boost of energy and pride,” he said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo. Lanada said he didn’t know who nominated him for the award but is grateful to the person who did.

He said,

Sobrang proud ako as a Filipino (I am proud to be a Filipino)…We raise the pride, the flag of the Philippines and Filipino nurses are recognized and respected throughout the world especially dito sa (here in the) UK.

At the height of the pandemic early last year, Lanada organized hot meals for his fellow NHS workers in OUH. About 1,200 hot meals were distributed to OUH staff who worked during Saturdays and Sundays.

Landa chairs the Filipino community in OUH (FilCom Oxford). He took care of 46 Filipino NHS workers who tested positive for COVID-19 by buying and delivering them groceries while they were in quarantine.

The NHS Foundation Trust said it is “incredibly proud” of what Ariel and all the other staff have done.

Chief Nursing Officer at the Trust said—Sam Foster—said,

The support that Ariel and others in our Trust have been able to give is so vital, and such an essential part of well-being and care during this time.

Currently, Lanada serves as the Divisional Educational Lead for the Neurosciences, Orthopaedics, Trauma, Specialist Surgery, Children’s and Neonates Division of OUH NHS Foundation Trust.