The shining lights of University Hospital Southampton have been celebrated for their incredible efforts at a glitzy NHS award evening.

The Hilton Hotel at the Ageas Bowl played host to the hospital trust's best and brightest, who donned their glad rags and dusted off their suits at its annual awards ceremony.

Staff were recognised for their 'outstanding dedication to patient care, innovation and teamwork over the past year' with 21 awards given out to individuals and teams in 14 categories.

READ MORE: History of Southampton General Hospital and NHS in the city

These included inspirational innovator, team of the year, patient outcome award and patient safety award, as well as special recognition awards.

UHS chief executive David French and chief nursing officer Gail Byrne hosted the ceremony, held on Wednesday last week.

Mr French said: “It was great to come together to celebrate and share the successes and achievements of our people – the first time we have been able to do so in person since the pandemic, which made it an extra special occasion.

“Our colleagues amaze us every day with their unwavering dedication to patient care, the exceptional teamwork and compassion they show for each other, particularly during challenging times, as well as their ongoing desire to innovate and inspire.

“It was an honour to present the awards to this year’s winners, to hear about their nominations and showcase the amazing talent and excellence we have in our UHS family. I always leave events like this feeling extremely humbled and proud.

“All nominees and winners thoroughly deserve the accolade they received and I congratulate and thank each and every one of them – and all staff who work at the Trust – for everything they do.”

There were 457 nominations in total and all staff were thanked for their ongoing dedication, commitment and compassion towards patients and each other.

Also in attendance to show their support were Harry Dymond, chairman of Healthwatch Southampton, and Debbie Chase, director of public health at Southampton City Council.

The winners of each award are listed below: 

Patient safety award clinical: Winner - Kate Raney

Patient safety award non-clinical: Winner - Kirsty Heelan

Patient outcome award clinical: Winner - Mariama Kabia

Patient outcome award non-clinical: Winner - BMT care coordinators (Samantha Sizer, Sunita Verma, Ruth Henshaw, Kelly Lanaghan)

Patient improvement award - clinical: Winner - Zoe Moore

Patient improvement award - non-clinical: Winners - Caroline Gardiner and Humera Fayyaz

Organisational improvement award - clinical: Winners - Patrick Tapley, Dinnish Mani and CEPOD team

Organisational improvement award - non-clinical: Winners - Haemostasis Laboratory Team

Inspirational innovator award - clinical: Winners - Hannah Foxley and Anna Howlett

Inspirational innovator award - non-clinical: Winner - Education Division B

Team player award - clinical: Winners - Lorena Caruana and Helen Dewar

Team player award - non-clinical: Winner - John Norton

Team leader award - clinical: Winner - Laura Presland

Team leader award - non-clinical: Winner - Fiona Topp

Team of the year award - clinical: Winner - Ward E2

Team of the year award - non-clinical: Winner - Adult safeguarding team

Charity award: Winner - Katrina Cathie

Volunteer award: Winner - Adrian (Ady) Marks

Membership award: Winner - F4 spinal unit nurses, HCAs and physios

Chairs award: Winner - Nomalanga Bhebhe

CEO award: Winner - Karen Bent