Publish date: 17 April 2026
A nurse from West London NHS Trust has been recognised nationally, winning Mental Health Nurse of the Year at the British Journal of Nursing Awards 2026.
The awards celebrate excellence in nursing across the UK, recognising individuals who are making a meaningful difference to patient care, innovation and professional practice.
Melville Jimmy Garber, Practice Development Nurse at the Trust, received the award for his work to improve how healthcare professionals respond to violence and aggression in mental health settings.
Jimmy developed De-escalation Skills Training 2.0 with Empathy — a programme that takes a compassionate, trauma-informed approach. The training focuses on understanding patients’ experiences, cultural awareness and supporting staff wellbeing, helping teams to respond more confidently and safely in challenging situations.
The programme has already reached a wide range of colleagues across wards and community services, as well as students. Although not mandatory, sessions have grown through word of mouth, with staff sharing their experiences and encouraging others to attend.
Jimmy said: This award is an honour thank you to the British Journal of Nursing. It's the feedback that keeps me going. I know the training is making a real difference for colleagues — and I’m excited to keep sharing this training more widely.”