A principal psychologist at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is in the running for a ‘NHS Hero’ award for her dedication to helping others.

Samina Allie has made the final of the Local Hero Awards, where she is a finalist in the ‘NHS Hero’ category.

She has made the final following a gruelling judging panel and will find out if she has won at the award ceremony in Birmingham on 24 August.

The Local Hero Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that create positive change in their community and who inspire others to make a positive difference.

The NHS Hero award recognises key workers in the NHS who go above and beyond to help others and showcase great commitment in their role.

Samina has dedicated herself to using her role as a psychologist to help others. She currently works at BCHFT as a principal psychologist for the clinical health psychology service, specifically providing support around cancer, palliative care and bereavement. She has also established an Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) trauma clinic for the Trust’s wellbeing service in Oldbury.

Her career has seen Samina work with a range of teams and services across mental health, such as rehab teams, assertive outreach teams, inpatient services at Hallam Street Hospital, crisis teams and early intervention in psychosis, demonstrating her wide expertise in psychology.

Reacting to being named a finalist, Samina said: “I feel really honoured to be recognised and acknowledged for my contributions to the NHS. Having worked in the NHS for a career that has spanned 20 years, I feel privileged to have supported so many in their journey to recovery.”