HEALTH staff in Huddersfield and Calderdale have been praised for their work.

NHS staff at the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust have been honoured at the annual Celebrating Success awards for 2012.

Click below to see pictures from the event

The event – at Cedar Court Hotel, Ainley Top – showcased the best in innovation in patient care and also recognised the trust’s longest serving members of staff with 25 and 40 years service.

Acting matron Karen Melling collected the top honour – the Gordon McLean award and £5,000 to invest in a project for patient care in memory of the trust’s former chairman, for her work as acting matron in A&E and ward 8 a/b.

Mr McLean’s widow Judith, presented the award and told the audience: “It is great to see the tremendous work you do. It’s not just about professionalism, it is also about the little kindnesses that make such a difference.

“A nurse buying a newspaper for an elderly patient who doesn’t have the money, for example. I only wish all the people in Halifax and Huddersfield could see the work that is done by you.”

Trust chief executive Owen Williams said: “I want to say to every colleague I am proud and impressed. We are all here for our local people to see them get the very best care.”

Mr Williams compered the night with chairman, Andrew Haigh opening the envelopes to reveal the winners’ names. All long service staff received certificates on stage. The NHS local heroes, nominated by the public last year, were also recognised. Full awards were:

Leader of the year and Gordon McLean award: acting matron Karen Melling , who said: “I am passionate about what I do and I work with fantastic staff. You can only be a good leader if you have a good team.” Her matron Lisa Cooper, who nominated her, said: “I stand in awe of Karen’s dedication to her work. Her commitment to patients and staff is tireless.”

Unsung hero: ward clerk Carol Ann Scarramuzza for her work on Ward 3 with vascular surgery patients at HRI. Carol, from Skelmanthorpe, who is married with two daughters, has worked in the NHS for 35 years and was thrilled to have won the award after being nominated by her colleague, charge nurse Alex Henderson.“This is wonderful,” she said. “For me, coming to work at HRI is a pleasure not a toil. I love working with Alex and the team.” Alex said: “She is our right-hand woman on this ward and it simply couldn’t function for our patients as it does without her.”

Volunteer of the year: Vic Siswick for his voluntary work biking blood and tissue samples to labs for testing when results are urgently needed. Vic said: “I am flattered and honoured.”

Ward of the Year: Ward 7ad at Calderdale Royal Hospital (formerly ward 21 at HRI). Manager sister Heather Cording said: “I am bursting with pride. I have an excellent team who work very hard – stroke care is not easy and we face many challenges.”

Working in partnership award: assistant director of infection prevention and control Carole Hallam who worked with colleagues in NHS Calderdale and NHS Kirklees, Mid-Yorkshire Hospital NHS Trust and Locala to introduce a new patient record system for patients with catheters.

Excellent patient service: consultant Graham Walsh and orthopaedic technician Christine Smith who introduced a “soft” cast for children with minor breaks and fractures which improves their mobility and enables them to lead more normal lives.

Excellent customer service (non clinical): Supply chain leads Daniel Hawtins and Helen Mannings for their work in making sure the wards and departments have all the equipment they need.

Improving quality and reducing cost: Jacqueline Sellars who introduced a patient file tracker to improve the availability of medical records.

Improving patient safety: lead nurse for invasive devices Tracey Corner who heads the aseptic non-touch technique team which aims to reduce infections in patient with devices such as cannulae.

Community team of the year: the children’s community nursing team based at both sites which works closely with youngsters to care for them at home as far as possible and to prevent them having to come into hospital.