Mid Sussex MP Sir Nicholas Soames has expressed his delight that a local team has been named regional champion in a prestigious competition to celebrate excellence in health and care in England.

Sussex Community Foundation NHS Trust’s Carers Health Team, led by Wilma Thomas, were nominated for the Care Compassion Award by Nicholas Soames with the MP citing the superb work the team has done for nearly six years.

Having been named champions by senior regional NHS experts, they will now vie with other regional winners from across England for the national award, to be presented at a special ceremony in the Palace of Westminster in July.

MP Nicholas Soames said: “I know that everyone in Mid Sussex will share my delight and pride that Wilma and her brilliant team has been named regional champion.”

“They are representing the thousands of staff and volunteers who work day in, day out across our area to shape, deliver and supports health and care services, and we’ll all be backing them to win the national award in July.”

Clinical Service Manager Corinne Nikolova also promoted Thomas and her colleagues, adding: “The carers health team was launched in 2013, with the aim to improve both the physical and mental health wellbeing of the informal carer.

“I have nominated them for this award as the Carer Health team has greatly improved the quality of life for the carers and the people they care for.”

Mrs Thomas was delighted their hard work has been recognised for the coveted award and said: “I feel really passionate that informal carers get professional support to manage their own health needs and that the carers health team is able to make a difference to those carers and their loved ones.”

The NHS Parliamentary Awards, supported by Fuji Film, recognise the massive contribution made by the individuals who work in and alongside the NHS.

Launched in March, it asked MPs to find and nominate those individuals or teams they thought have made the biggest improvements to health services in their constituencies across ten categories.

From more than 600 entries, senior experts in each region have chosen ten outstanding nominations, which exemplify the best of what the NHS and its partners do day in, day out.

All the champions will be invited to the national awards ceremony, which will be held on 10 July.

The ceremony will be hosted by Dr Sara Kayat, NHS GP & TV Doctor best known for This Morning, Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls and GPs: Behind Closed Doors. A special performance from the NHS Choir.

The regional champions will now go forward to a final round of judging by a panel including the leaders of Royal Colleges, Carers UK, AGE UK, a member of the NHS Youth Forum and the Patients Association – collectively representing millions of health and care workers and patients.

For further information visit: http://www.nhs70awards.co.uk/

ENDS

Notes to editors:

About NHS England and NHS Improvement

From 1 April NHS England and NHS Improvement have come together to act as a single organisation. Our aim is to better support the NHS and help improve care for patients.

NHS England and NHS improvement set the priorities and direction for the NHS, encouraging and informing the national debate to improve health and care. The NHS in England deals with over 1 million patients every 36 hours and employs more than 1.5 million people, putting it in the top five of the world’s largest workforces. More than £100 billion in funds is shared out with organisations held to account for spending this money effectively for patients and efficiently for the tax payer. We strongly believe in health and high-quality care for all, now and for future generations.

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