DEDICATED doctors, nurses and staff working at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital have been applauded for their hard work at a glittering awards ceremony.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust recently held its annual awards ceremony at the Chateau Impney hotel in Droitwich.

Retired Olympic swimmer Mark Foster was on hand to present staff with their awards and applauded them for their dedication.

More than 480 nominations for 17 different awards were received from patients and staff at the trust – which runs the Alex as well Worcestershire Royal Hospital and Kidderminster Hospital – in May and June and about 400 people attended the ceremony.

Trust chairman Harry Turner said: “It’s a great honour to present these awards each year.

“Reading through the hordes of nominations served as a reminder of why I come to work every day. The thousands of thank you letters that our staff receive are proof that the care that they deliver day in and day out to our patients and their families is always appreciated.”

Accolades included the Patients’ Choice award, which was received by health care assistant Neil Morris, while lead colposcopy nurse Jo Underhill was awarded Nurse of the Year.

Consultant geriatrician Dr Ruma Dutta was named Doctor of the Year while Yvonne Baker won Midwife of the Year and sister Dot Millward was given the Lifetime Achievement award for her years of work at the trust.

Other winners included Judy Boulter, who was named Health Care Assistant of the Year, Zoia Iqbal, who won Apprentice or Student of the Year and car park attendant David Jones, who was handed the Non-Clinical Employee of the Year award.

Beryl Walton was named Volunteer of the Year while occupational therapy clinical specialist for early discharge Dawn Jackson won Allied Health Professional of the Year and the trust’s neonatal nursing team was handed Team of the Year.