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A student who designed a poster to help disabled people access the Covid-19 vaccine has won a national award for her work. 

In front of a packed function room at Grosvenor House Hotel in London, second-year Learning Disability student Giane Bishop from Leicester won the Student Innovation in Practice Award at the Student Nursing Times for the poster, which has already been used across the country and overseas, in New York. 

Having received her award, the 32-year-old said: “I’m in absolute shock. When I first decided to create this poster, I couldn’t imagine even being nominated for a Student Nursing Times award, let alone win one. 

“I’m very passionate about advocating support for people with learning disabilities as they are often misrepresented by society and the pandemic has only widened inequalities within their healthcare. 

“People with learning disabilities need to understand how to access the vaccine and that information surrounding public health needs is accessible for this group to be able to make informed decisions. Often these decisions can be taken out of their hands, so I wanted to give them something that can help them make up their own mind.” 

Giane designed the poster in her first year of university and incorporated simple images and plain English to create her step-by-step poster, as many people with learning disabilities struggle to read.  

Having been nominated for the award by Nursing Programme Lead Joanne Sharpe and her personal tutor Sam Humphrey , Giane travelled to down to London to present her work to the Nursing Times’ judging panel. 

They praised her for responding to an important and immediate issue as well as understanding the needs of a group of people underrepresented in society, stating that Giane was “confident, articulate and passionate about improving the care of people with learning disabilities.” 

Giane added: “I’m so grateful that my work has been recognised in this way. A big thanks must go to Sam and Justine for, not only the nomination, but the support too, as well as rest of my classmates, who inspired and helped me to create this poster.” 

Coronavirus disproportionately targets people with learning disabilities, especially those with neurological conditions, so access to the vaccine is key. 

Giane designed the poster in the hope that it will explain how more people within this demographic can book their jab.   

Her work has already been used in private and public clinics across Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire and, through the university’s international partners, has travelled as far as New York state. 

Sam Humphrey, who accompanied Giane down to Grosvenor House Hotel, said: “What an amazing night! Giane has worked so hard to produce this poster and have it peer-reviewed and critiqued by  learning-disabled advocacy groups. She absolutely deserved this.  

“People with learning disabilities are often overlooked and struggle to access reliable information about their health needs. Giane understood that and went with a simple, picture-led poster that highlights easily identifiable key phrases to make the information clearer.  

“I’m absolutely delighted for her work to be recognised like this. We are incredibly proud of her and the students that helped get this poster over the line.”