The winners at the Bristol Health and Care Awards

The outstanding achievements of Bristol’s health and care community were honoured at a glittering awards ceremony last night (10 March). The Bristol Post, in partnership with Bristol Health Partners, held the first ever Bristol Health and Care Awards, hosted by Private Eye’s medical columnist Dr Phil Hammond, where the winners were announced.

The winners

GP Practice of the Year

Bristol University Student Health Service

Dr Emma Webb stands out as a fantastic GP at the Bristol University Student Health Service, because of her calm, caring and professional attitude. During her 16 years working at the surgery she has helped thousands of students through a number of issues including eating disorders, depression, sexual abuse.

Health Care Professional of the Year

Sue Brand at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

The germ cell cancer specialist nurse offers advice and support to the hundreds of patients across the South West who are diagnosed with testicular cancers.

Early Years Award

Sandra Tanner at the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers

Mrs Tanner helps hundreds of women every year who are struggling to breastfeed their baby. Sandra works around the clock, offering help at support groups in Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe and Withywood.

Healthy Neighbourhood Award

Wellspring Healthy Living Centre

The building, which homes GPs, health visitors and midwives, is owned and led by local residents for over a decade. Whether residents need acupuncture, help with benefits forms, a place to express their creativity or somewhere to learn how to improve their family’s diet, there is an opportunity at Wellspring for them.

Best Patient and Public Involvement Award

Breast MRI Team at North Bristol NHS Trust in partnership with BUST (Breast Unit Support Trust)

Dr Jones and her team have worked tirelessly to improve women’s MRI experience by handing out more detailed information about what a patient can expect prior to arriving.

Volunteer of the Year

Derek Dominey, supporting people with dementia in Bristol and South Gloucestershire

Derek has been a driving force in the development for care of people with dementia in the Bristol area. He devotes his time to raising awareness and making sure those in power offer more support for carers and sufferers.

Voluntary and Community Sector Team of the Year

Freewheelers EVS

This group ferries key clinical items and medical supplies to hospitals or other health centres around the region on motorcycles for free. They work at night and on bank holidays, running 365 days a year. Riders work from their own homes from 7pm to 7am each evening Monday to Thursday, and 24 hours a day from 7pm Friday through to 7am Monday

Mental Health Team of the Year

Dementia Wellbeing Service

This new service provides a single point of access for referrals and advice to professionals, as well as people with dementia and their families and carers. It ultimately makes navigating the health system for patients and carers easier and means the correct support is on hand.

Hospital Team of the Year

Enhanced Recovery Team, North Bristol NHS Trust

This team have worked hard to ensure patients are discharged from hospital without delay, freeing up beds for more needy patients. They have worked with wards across the hospital to not only sustain performance but deliver new innovation and improvements in patient safety.

Rising Star Award

James Henderson at North Bristol NHS Trust

As well as working as consultant, treating people in life and death situations, Mr Henderson also works an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Bristol – teaching the medical stars of the future.

Health Campaign of the Year

It’s in the Bag

This volunteer-led charity provides hands-on support for men with testicular cancer in the South-West, as well as raising awareness of the disease across the region. Its big campaign in 2015 / 2016 was called “Match Fit” which saw awareness packs being sent out to football clubs.

Best Innovation Award

Andrew Freeman-Fielding at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Andrew is a nurse who has worked tirelessly to assist with rolling out a new trust-wide integrated critical care clinical information system called ICCIP. This paperless service documentation system is a world-class development and enables the team to assess, plan and treat patients with more accuracy and efficiency.

Research Impact Award

Professor AV Ramanan at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust

Professor Ramanan trialled a new drug which halts a serious eye disease that can cause blindness in children. Due to his study’s huge success rate the pioneering treatment is now being used across the globe.

Together We Achieve Award

Energise, exercise-based cancer rehabilitation at Easton Leisure Centre

Energise exercise classes are designed specifically for individuals who have been affected by cancer and whose quality of life can be maintained or improved through taking part in regular, supervised exercise classes with cancer rehab specific qualified fitness instructors.

Outstanding Achievement

Dr Alan Whone at the Bristol Brain Centre, North Bristol NHS Trust

Neurologist Dr Whone has given hope to hundreds of Parkinson’s disease patients across the globe with his pioneering research. He is halfway through a world leading trial, which could find a cure for the degenerative condition.