TWO innovative nursing students have won an award for helping vulnerable and homeless people in Warwickshire get easier access to vital healthcare services.
Leah Kirkwood and Florence Jack Petter helped establish fortnightly clinics across the county that offered basic health checks, rather than people going to A&E when unwell.
The duo won the Student Innovation in Practice award at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2026.
They became involved in the project while training as nursing associates with Coventry University and Leamington Primary Care Network (PCN).
The clinics were started by the PCN, Helping Hands Community Project and GP Dr David Maud after establishing there were no dedicated outreach healthcare clinics for people experiencing homelessness across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Judges praised the pair as being “instrumental” in setting up the project which they said was “an innovative, nurse-led and responsive service with a clear human touch and a patient centred approach”.
Leah, aged 45, said the award showed the work mattered and had the potential to be used more widely.
She continued: “These are people who so often fall through the cracks. Many have had difficult experiences with healthcare and don’t feel able to access traditional services.
“By meeting them in a place they feel safe, seeing the same faces regularly and taking the time to listen, we can really start to make a difference.”
Florence, aged 30, added: “It is an incredible honour to win this award. More importantly it shines a light on the importance of addressing health inequalities and recognising the impact of outreach work.”
