A Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust physiotherapist has been shortlisted in the Rising Star category at the 2015 Health Service Journal Awards.

Samantha Musson, team leader in the Women’s Health and Continence Physiotherapy service, will find out in November if she is a winner.

Her entry highlighted innovation and clever thinking, raising the profile of her therapy teams, improving access through social media, setting up a male continence service and ensuring that patients’ wellbeing was central to her work.

Samantha spotted an opportunity to improve the hospital experience of pregnant and post-natal women in the Newark area.

Previously therapists covered both obstetrics and gynaecology at King’s Mill Hospital and only gynaecology at Newark Hospital.

Samantha said: “This meant that women would have to travel up to an hour for a physiotherapy appointment with the specialist team. I saw the opportunity to expand the service forward (within the existing resources and without impacting on waiting times at King’s Mill) and trialled the idea for three months. Almost a year later the obstetric clinic at Newark Hospital is well established and our patients are getting equitable care.”

Divisional general manager of diagnostics and rehabilitation at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, Elaine Torr, said: “Sam’s work will provide significant benefit to patients and reflects the highest standards of care we strive for.”