Awards honour NHS excellence

Dr Arun Bakasi won an Outstanding Achiever award at the NHS awards.

Four health workers from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been honoured at a ceremony that recognises excellence in the NHS.

Lorraine Clapham, 51, whose Southampton clinic, the Face Place, combines rehabilitation with beauty treatments, was one of 18 winners at the ceremony in London.

Consultant physician Dr Arun Baksi who has devoted 25 years of his medical career to improving care for diabetes patients on the Isle of Wight was also honoured at the event hosted by Gary Lineker.

Both Mr Baksi and Ms Clapham won Outstanding Achiever awards at the NHS Health and Social Care awards on Tuesday night.

All of you are outstanding achievers. You represent the best that the NHS and Social Care has to offer

Health Secretary John Reid

For five years Ms Clapham has worked with patients suffering facial paralysis following neurosurgery, or as a result of conditions like Bell's Palsy.

On the Isle of Wight Dr Baksi, 64, developed a service from scratch and built a £250,000 diabetes centre after recognising that there was no formal service for people diagnosed with the condition.

"I'm absolutely delighted with the award, but I just can't believe it.

"I think this award is important because it will protect the work we have done for people on the island with diabetes," said Dr Baksi.

Health Secretary John Reid told the several hundred delegates at Billingsgate Market in London: "Over two and a half million people rely on the dedication and expertise of health and social care professionals every day.

"These awards represent the pinnacle of that effort.

As a winner Lorraine Clapham will receive £15,000 towards her project.

"All of you are outstanding achievers. You represent the best that the NHS and Social Care has to offer."

Other winners from the area were:

Sue Allan, service manager at Southampton City Council, was the Outstanding Achiever Award - Social Worker Winner.

Last year, she, helped develop a joint venture between local employers and the city council that provides work placements, shadowing, mock job interviews and business mentors for care leavers.

Dr Peter Randall, of the Isle of Wight Primary Care Trust earned the Heartbeat Award - Coronary Heart Disease Winner.

He was recognised for his work in transforming the PCT's capacity to respond to emergencies.

Each winner received £15,000 towards their project at what was the third annual ceremony.