PATIENTS past and present of a hospital are being encouraged to nominate their health heroes.

A Patient Choice Award will be presented at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital's (RJAH) Celebration of Achievement Awards.

Chief Executive Mark Brandreth said: “We have some tremendous people, and some remarkable teams, here at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.

“It is important that we take time out on occasions to recognise our achievements and our success, and that we celebrate them. This is an annual awards ceremony, where we get the chance to come together and say thank you to some of the people who make this organisation what it is."

The award will be presented at the Lion Quays Hotel in November.

This year’s winner will follow in the footsteps of rehabilitation technician Kate Betts, the inaugural winner in 2016, and staff nurse Pip Page-Davies last year.

Pip said: “Winning the Patient Choice Award was one of the highlights of my career to-date. It was such an emotional moment and it meant so much to me to get recognised for the care I provide.

“I am so proud to work at RJAH and there are some amazing people at this hospital who would certainly deserve this award. I would encourage any patient thinking about entering a nomination to do so.”

There are 17 categories in total, but the Patient Choice Award is the only one where the public get to nominate and then vote for their winner.

Mr Brandreth added: "We want our patients to be involved in this process, which is why we include this Patient Choice Award as part of the evening.

“I would ask any patient, past or present, who has used our services and been particularly struck by the care they received from one of our members of staff, to consider nominating them for this award.

“We will go through all the nominations and compile a shortlist – and give the public the chance to vote on that shortlist to select the winner.”

The deadline for nominations to the Patient Choice Award is 5pm on Monday, September 3.

Nominations should be emailed to: awards@rjah.nhs.uk under the subject line ‘Patient Choice Award’.