Staff and volunteers with long service to the NHS were celebrated at a special event on 4 October.
The annual Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) long service awards are an opportunity to recognise the fantastic dedication of staff and volunteers. This year, 123 staff and 23 volunteers were celebrated, having clocked up an impressive 3,875 years of service within the NHS.
The awards ceremony, held at Leicester Racecourse in Oadby, celebrated staff who have worked for the NHS for 25, 30 or 40 years. Volunteers were also recognised for their 5, 10 and 20 years of service to LPT.
In welcoming staff to the event, chief executive Angela Hillery thanked the staff and volunteers: “Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication you have given to the NHS. Your contribution to the NHS and patient care has touched thousands of lives, supporting people when they were at their most vulnerable, and we applaud your dedication and resilience. The NHS is indebted to you, and future generations have a lot to be thankful to you for.”
The awards were presented by Trust Chair, Cathy Ellis, alongside Chief Executive, Angela Hillery. Speaking at the event, Cathy Ellis thanked staff and volunteers, not only on behalf of the Trust, but also on behalf of LPT’s patients and service users, for their loyalty and dedication. She said: “This celebration today is about you. Thank you for everything you have done for our colleagues, but also our patients and service users. We want Leicestershire Partnership Trust to continue to be a great place for people to develop their careers and for you to continue to be proud to work here.”
The audience gave a standing ovation to volunteer Pauline Heath, who has clocked up a fantastic 20 years of service doing a book trolley for patients on the wards at Bradgate Mental Health Unit. When asked why she chose to volunteer for LPT, she said: “They made me better and I wanted to give something back.”
The annual Long Service awards are just one of the ways LPT recognises the care and commitment shown by its staff and volunteers. Our monthly Valued Star award celebrates those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ in bringing to life our core values of trust, integrity, compassion and respect. Nominations can be made by colleagues or service users at www.leicspart.nhs.uk/valuedstars. In addition, our annual ‘Celebrating Excellence’ awards acknowledge a huge range of achievements across our 5,600-strong workforce. These will be held in Spring 2020.
For volunteering opportunities please visit www.leicspart.nhs.uk/volunteering