EMPLOYEES at Lister Hospital in Stevenage have been recognised for their hard work and dedication at the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust s annual staff awards. Award nominations were made by colleagues at the Trust, and the sterile services team -

EMPLOYEES at Lister Hospital in Stevenage have been recognised for their hard work and dedication at the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust's annual staff awards.

Award nominations were made by colleagues at the Trust, and the sterile services team - which ensures surgical equipment is clean - received the award for Best Team at a ceremony held at Knebworth Barns on Friday.

The team secured the award for the consistent improvements made to their service.

Today it is rare for a patient's operation to be postponed because of problems with the right sterile surgical instruments being in place - something that was not the case a few years ago.

The Trust's chief executive, Nick Carver, said: "The sterile services team stood out not just because of the quality of service they provide to their clinical colleagues today, but because of just how they have improved over recent years.

"Thanks to the team's dedication and hard work, today the service has been transformed."

The award for Best Innovation went to the renal home dialysis services team.

Last July saw the home dialysis team, which is led by renal medicine consultant Dr Roger Greenwood, take delivery of the latest NxStage home haemodialysis machines from the United States.

The Trust became among the first in the NHS to introduce this new service.

Patients are now being trained at the Lister to use the equipment, reducing the numbers needing to come into hospital for dialysis.

The two Chief Executive Awards went to Lorane Fitch, consultant microbiologist and lead infection prevention and control doctor, and Jane Wheeler, nurse team leader at Lister's fracture clinic.

Lorane, who is retiring in May, received the award in recognition of the support she gives to colleagues, typified by a cool and calm approach which has helped ensure effective outcomes.

Lorane has been at the heart of a wide range of initiatives at the Trust, including the introduction of isolation wards, the Trust's deep cleaning programme, and MRSA screening for elective patients.

Jane, a qualified plaster technician, has been recognised for her skills in plastering limbs, and for being an outstanding and inspirational role model to her colleagues.