DEDICATED doctors, nurses, midwives and other staff at Worcestershire’s three major hospitals were thanked for their hard work at an awards ceremony last week.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, held its annual staff achievement awards on Friday, October 3.

TV personality Rav Wilding – best known for a seven-year stint on the BBC’s Crimewatch – was on hand to present the awards and proved especially popular with the female staff members, who lined up to take selfies with the former police officer and soldier.

The former officer with the Metropolitan Police Service paid tribute to the hospital workers who treated him after he suffered a potentially life-threatening injury while training to appear on ITV’s Splash! last December.

“There was a one on three chance I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the NHS,” he said.

“Just remember there are people who genuinely appreciate what you do.”

The ceremony at the Charles Hastings Education Centre at Worcestershire Royal Hospital came at the end of a week of events thanking trust staff for their hard work, including a Service of Celebration at Worcester Cathedral.

Trust chairman Harry Turner acted as the event’s master of ceremonies and said it was “a great honour” to present the awards.

“Reading through the hordes of nominations served as a reminder of why I come to work every day,” he said.

“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.”

Among the night’s winners were the ear, nose and throat nurse practitioner Kate Baldwin, who was awarded the Patients’ Choice Award – the only accolade directly nominated by patients.

Ms Baldwin said she was delighted to receive the award, saying: “It is fantastic to have the service I deliver recognised.

“To know I make such a difference to patients’ lives is amazing.”

Jeffrey Harley, who volunteers with the trust’s Blood Borne Virus Team supporting patients with Hepatitis C, was awarded Volunteer of the Year and said he was "thrilled" by the accolade.

The trust’s lead cancer clinician and consultant urologist Adel Makar was awarded Doctor of the Year for his part in the development of the county’s new Oncology Centre, which is due to open in January 2015.

Mr Makar said being awarded the accolade was “humbling”.

“I always strive to improve the services that we give to our patients,” he said. “It’s an honour to be able to look after them.”

The final award of the night – the Chairman’s Special Award – was presented to hospital chaplain Rev David Southall and clinical lead for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Elaine Bevan-Smith for their development of a special choir for COPD patients, many of whom have reported great improvements in their condition.

Other winners included Nichola Wilcox, who was awarded Midwife of the Year and theatre admin support worker Laura Moore, who was awarded Apprentice of the Year.