The award goes to an educational supervisor who has gone above and beyond in their role to provide exceptional support, training and supervision to public health registrars.
Zafar was collectively nominated by the trainees that he has recently supervised during their time at Midlands Partnership University Foundation NHS Trust’s (MPFT) St. George’s Hospital in Stafford.
An extract from the nomination states: “Zafar has been an educational supervisor for many years and his support for registrars deserves to be recognised as exceptional. His implicit attitude towards trainees is that we are a great asset, and this alone works magic on trainees’ confidence that we can, and are, making an important contribution to the organisation and the health of the public.
“His consistency, enthusiasm, availability, warmth and encouragement are immensely powerful in unlocking the best in people, and on a practical level he has a great ability to ‘open doors’, identifying opportunities for his trainees to showcase their work at high profile local, regional or national meetings.
“The legacy of a placement with Zafar is a newfound confidence in the value your expertise adds and an expectation that we should shout from the rooftops about the benefit of public health work.”
Zafar said: “I am humbled to receive this award and would like to thank the trainees who nominated me. Public health trainees make such a fantastic contribution to the public health function within the Trust, they really are a valuable and amazing asset. Trainees bring fresh ideas, technical expertise and turbo charged energy!
“Many of the trainees go on to publish the work they undertake at MPFT in academic journals, as well as presenting their work at regional and national meetings.
“MPFT has a strong reputation in the fields of education and research, which we see as the foundations of good clinical care and has recently been awarded University Trust status by Keele University, reflecting our commitment to continuous improvement and clinical excellence.”