Ballymena nurse Aaron Smyth wins prestigious award for innovation in learning disability care

Nurse Aaron Smyth presented with his award by Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, Maria McIlgorm (left), and Executive Director of RCN Northern Ireland, Professor Rita Devlin.

A young nurse from Ballymena has been recognised on a national stage, receiving the Chief Nursing Officer Rising Star Award at the prestigious RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Awards.

Aaron Smyth, a newly-qualified learning disability nurse with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, was honoured at a gala ceremony held on 5 June at the Culloden Estate, which celebrated excellence and innovation in the nursing profession.

The Chief Nursing Officer Rising Star Award, sponsored by the Department of Health and the Chief Nursing Officer, is presented annually to a newly-registered nurse who has demonstrated exceptional potential and commitment to patient care.

A spokesperson for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Northern Ireland stated:

“The winner of the Chief Nursing Officer Rising Star Award is Aaron Smyth, nurse, learning disabilities, Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

“The judging panel commended Aaron’s patient-centred approach and how he represents the future of learning disability nursing.”

Transforming education for learning disability patients

Ballymena man Aaron Smyth

Aaron’s work stood out for its innovation and impact in the field of learning disability nursing. During his pre-registration training, he identified a significant lack of tailored educational tools for people with learning disabilities—specifically on the topic of pressure ulcer prevention.

In response, Aaron collaborated with university lecturers, a tissue viability nurse, and an e-learning developer to create an accessible and engaging educational video. The video is designed for both individuals with learning disabilities and their carers, and can be used for one-to-one education or group discussions about maintaining healthy skin.

The resource was officially launched in November 2024 and has since been praised by tissue viability specialists, who noted it was the first educational tool of its kind specifically designed for this community.

Aaron’s initiative, which began as a student project, has since grown in reach. Now a registered nurse at Holywell Hospital in Antrim, he has shared the video widely with colleagues, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. The video is now being used as a broader health promotion tool for skin integrity across various patient groups and has helped facilitate staff training to improve care for people with learning disabilities.

Aaron also hopes to engage with the Public Health Agency to explore how the resource can be rolled out more widely across the community.

“This is only the start”

Before the awards ceremony: Aaron pictured with fiancée, Morgan Pennie.

Speaking to Love Ballymena following his award, Aaron said:

“I am loving my career as a nurse. It’s something I always wanted to do and being able to work alongside individuals with a learning disability and their families gives me great satisfaction.

“People with a learning disability deserve access to the same level of health care as the general population and I am just trying to do my part to enable this.

“Winning this award is a great honour. To be recognised this early in my career has been amazing, however for me this is only the start. I want to keep doing my best to promote the health of people with a learning disability and provide them with the best care I can.

“I would like to thank my work colleagues and my lecturers at university for helping me along this journey and motivating me to be the best nurse I can.”

Family pride

Aaron pictured with proud parents, Brian and Pamela, at his graduation from Queen’s University.

Aaron’s parents, Brian and Pamela Smyth, expressed their pride and joy at their son’s success:

“We know firsthand how hard Aaron has worked during his years at Queen’s University, and now as a registered Learning Disability Nurse.

“To be known as the winner of the ‘Rising Star’ Award is a tremendous accolade and we wish him every blessing in his chosen career.

“He has always shown his caring nature and we believe he will be a wonderful nurse.”

Recognising nursing excellence in Northern Ireland

The RCN Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Awards have been running since 1997, shining a light on the vital role nurses play in promoting the health and wellbeing of people across the region. The annual event recognises dedication, innovation, and leadership within the profession.

Despite the many challenges facing health and social care services, nurses in Northern Ireland continue to lead the way, delivering high-quality, person-centred care and driving service transformation.

RCN Northern Ireland extended thanks to the award sponsors for their support in making the celebration possible and for helping to showcase the depth of nursing talent across Northern Ireland’s health and social care sectors.