By Lucy Ashton
Dr Alyson Walker, affectionately known as “the sleepy doctor” by her young patients, has been honoured with the Children’s Health Scotland Lifetime Achievement Award 2024.
Alyson, a Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Anaesthetist at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow (RHC), received the award for her exceptional contributions to children’s health and wellbeing.
As one of only six specialists in Scotland, Alyson anaesthetises children from newborns to teenagers requiring heart surgery. She also has a special interest in helping children with anxiety and additional needs who require procedures or surgery.
Improving the patient experience is a passion point for Alyson. Over an 18 month period she asked children, young people, families and staff about the experience they had in theatres – and where improvements could be made, one of which was the physical environment.
In 2018, she set about the challenge of making the theatre suite a more welcoming, friendly, relaxing place to visit. This is when the Theatre Improvement Initiative at the RHC was born, and it was Alyson’s, pictured right, passion and dedication to this that award judges recognised.
Alyson assembled a large team of experts, including interior designers, architects, project managers, infection control, and illustrators to work on her vision using a co-design approach.
“The meeting of the two worlds: the clinical world and the creative world was a beautiful partnership,” she said.
“And it plays into my creative side, which was very much put aside when I started medical school. We wanted to create something special.”
The Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow theatre entrance is now one of the most recognisable and welcoming theatre spaces in the United Kingdom.
Alyson wanted the artwork on display in theatres to reflect the people who come through the doors, from all backgrounds with all sorts of conditions, so she gathered stories and inspiration from children, families, and staff to provide the illustrators with content to feature within their artwork.
“Our main illustrator, Laura Darling, created brilliant and beautiful artwork that entertains all ages, takes the children on a journey. Laura went to great lengths to include everything that we had requested be included. I hope that everyone who comes through our doors will see something of themselves in Laura’s artwork.”
Being an anaesthetist is a clinical job, requiring technical skills, dexterity, and a deep knowledge of pharmacology and physiology, but for Alyson the most important part is the people.
She explained: “Not a day goes past when I am not humbled. Some of the children and families I’ve met have made deep impacts on my life and on my perspective on life. I couldn’t think of a more fulfilling job. It’s an honour to do it.”
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity Reception Make Over. Pictured Dr Alyson Walker (paediatric anaesthetist) Photographs by Martin Shields