A DOLGELLAU healthcare assistant working with farmers and those living in rural north Wales to tackle men’s health problems has been shortlisted for a top nursing award.

Steven Evans-Jones, who is based at Dolgellau and Barmouth Hospital, is in the running for the 2016 RCNi Nurse Awards.

The 39-year-old has been nominated by his colleague Anne Thomas in the healthcare assistant community award section of the contest, run by the Royal College of Nursing, and seen as the top accolade for those in the profession.

Steven said: “When I got the email about the shortlisting I thought they’d sent it to the wrong person at first. It does feel nice but I think what I do is something we should all be doing.

“People have got to try and take some sort of responsibility for their health but they need our support and guidance.

“It’s up to all of us who work in the healthcare sector to help people do that.”

Steven will find out if he is a winner on Friday, May 6, at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel in London.

The former hairdresser, entertainer and special needs worker re-trained and became a ward healthcare assistant at Dolgellau Hospital.

He now works as healthcare assistant supporting the 15 specialist outpatient clinics that operate out of the hospital. He also runs his own clinics covering everything from blood testing, 24 hour ECGs to weight management and smoking cessation.

See the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News