Today Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum came together to celebrate the work of NHS staff who have gone above and beyond in their field, for the NHS Parliamentary Awards held on the health service’s 75th anniversary.

This year’s winners include staff who have developed an AI tool to speed up diagnosis for thousands of heart patients in Sheffield, an integrated frailty service reducing pressure on hospitals in Warwickshire, and a Reproductive Trauma Service supporting pregnant women with mental health challenges in Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Speakers including the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting, and the Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Daisy Cooper all joined on the day.

A special video message from the Prime Minister was also played at this year’s awards which have helped highlight the innovation of NHS staff across the country.

The below awards were given at the ceremony in the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in Westminster:

• Excellence in Mental Health Care Award: The Lancashire and South Cumbria Reproductive Trauma Service has been awarded for comprehensive mental health support for those with PTSD from challenging pregnancy and birth.
• The Future NHS Award: A new artificial intelligence tool developed by doctors and scientists at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and the University of Sheffield is speeding up diagnosis for thousands of NHS heart patients. The team, led by Dr Andy Swift and Dr Pete Metherall, have developed the innovative artificial intelligence (AI) tool which spots damage seen on MRI scans in seconds, speeding up diagnosis and reducing delays in starting treatment.
• Excellence in Healthcare Award: At University Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, their Prostate Self-Referral service set-up to help increase prostate cancer referrals in the Southampton area after the pandemic, has been a great success and helped catch cancers earlier.
• Excellence in Primary Care and Community Care Award: There are two winners this year which include, London’s Richmond Road Medical Centre, which has delivered several innovative campaigns to transform the practice into a centre of health and wellbeing for patients. The other is Devon’s ‘ground-breaking’ Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence team, which is bringing together local authorities and the police to ensure joined up care for those affected by abuse.
• Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care Award: The Integrated Frailty Service in Warwickshire has been awarded for they way they have collaboratively worked with stakeholders to ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. The service has received national recognition, with the team proactively sharing best practice to enhance frailty care locally, regionally, and nationally.
• The Health Equalities Award: There were two winners of the Health Equalities Award. The Anchor programme in Essex has helped those most vulnerable in the area into employment in the NHS and beyond. In Somerset, the winners are Homelessness Health, which provides GP care to those most vulnerable.
• The Nursing and Midwifery Award: Pancreatic Specialist Nurse, Vicki Stevenson-Hornby has been awarded for her dedication in helping reduce waiting times in the pancreatic cancer diagnosis pathway.
• The NHS Rising Star Award: Dr Devina Maru is this year’s rising star. She has been helping to increase training on deafness through her passion for reducing inequalities to improve access to care for those who need it most.
• The Lifetime Achievement Award: Charmain Angela Case, Lead Clinical Specialist Nurse for Breast Screening at St George’s, has worked at the trust for 40 years. Charmaine has dedicated her career to caring for patients with breast cancer while demonstrating excellent patient centred care.
• The Volunteer Award: Pets As Therapy (PAT) Dogs and their selfless owners who volunteer with Queen Alexandra Hospital have helped boost the morale of both patients and staff, at the same time as playing a key part in patients’ rehabilitation.

Chair of the National Judging panel and Chief Nursing Officer for England, Dame Ruth May said: “I would like to offer my huge congratulations to the brilliant individuals and teams who have won awards this year.

“As we mark the NHS’s 75th anniversary, these awards provide fantastic recognition of the extraordinary things done every single day for patients and communities, by NHS staff, volunteers and our partners, and I want to thank every Member of Parliament who has put forward one of the record number of nominations.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “MPs made a record number of nominations for this year’s NHS Parliamentary Awards and my congratulations go to today’s winners, as well as all those shortlisted.

“It is thanks to the doctors and nurses, the porters and the cleaners, social care workers, physiotherapists, ambulance crews – and everyone else – that the NHS continues to be our national treasure.

“So much has been achieved within healthcare over the past 75 years, and they are helping to build a stronger, healthier service for the long-term.”

Fiona Cannon, Lloyds Banking Group’s Sustainable Business Director who sponsored the awards, said: “Congratulations to the Lancashire and South Cumbria Reproductive Trauma Service in recognition of the support they provide to women experiencing challenges during and after pregnancy.

“I would also like to thank all the organisations who were shortlisted in this category for the contribution they make to preserving and enhancing mental health in communities throughout the country.”

Heather Smith, Managing Director at LV= General Insurance, who sponsored the awards, said: “Many congratulations to Devina, this year’s winner of the Rising Star Award and to all those nominated. You should all be incredibly proud of the work you’ve achieved and the contribution you’ve made to deliver better services for the community.

“All of Devina’s work, including founding the Health Pioneers Charity to reduce health and education inequalities amongst young people is truly inspirational. The people are at the heart of the NHS, which is why we’re delighted to be recognising and awarding members of staff and volunteers who are helping to shape the NHS for generations to come and are passionate about improving healthcare.”