Staff at the Royal Free London celebrated their achievements from the past year at the Oscars awards last night – with help from guest host and former EastEnders actress Tracy Ann Oberman. 

More than 250 members of staff attended the event, which was made possible by the Royal Free Charity, and 20 awards were handed to staff who had made a significant contribution to patient care in 2015.

Tracy Ann, who played Chrissie Watts in EastEnders and has starred in comedies Friday Night Dinner and Toast of London, announced all the award-winners and said she was “honoured to help her wonderful local trust.”

Among the winners from the nine different categories were the viral hepatitis team, who won team of the year after achieving the highest treatment activity nationally for their type of patients, and Dillon O’Flynn, ward clerk on Larch Ward, who won the unsung hero award for her work in caring for elderly patients.

There were two winners for the clinician of the year award – junior sister in general surgery Regina Irwin, and Dr Vaseem Hakeem, a consultant paediatrician.

Last night a range of staff from across the trust attended the event, including doctors, nurses, porters, volunteers and support staff.

David Sloman, the chief executive of the Royal Free London, said: “Tonight is about recognising your remarkable achievements throughout the past year and the excellent work that has been done to improve the lives of our patients.”

The chairman of the trust, Dominic Dodd added: “We’re here to celebrate the ways in which you as individuals and as teams strive to improve patient care. We are going to celebrate how you’ve put our patients at the centre of everything you do and continually ask what you can do to improve their care.”

See a gallery of images from the night.

The full list of award-winners from last night is:

The team of the year award

Winner – Viral hepatitis team

Runners up – 10 North Ward team and pelvic health physiotherapy team (pictured)

The unsung hero award

Winner – Dillon O’Flynn

Runners up Mary Herman and Margaret O’Connor

The clinician of the year award

Winners – Dr Vaseem Hakeem and Regina Irwin

Runner up - Deborah Ead

The quality, research and/or innovation award

Winner - Nursing and Midwifery Education Team

The outstanding contribution to education award

Winner - Nirmala Evans

Runner up - Dr Raj Vignaraja

The volunteer of the year award

Winners – Paul Fricker and Matthew Yeoh

Highly commended – Dementia companions

The outstanding contribution to patient safety award

Winners - Barnet Labour ward team and Alison Wright, Holly Thomas, Jude Bayly and Jonathan Wright

The equality, diversity and inclusion award

Winner - Betty Hutchon

The chairman’s leadership award

Winner - Camille Smith

Runner up - Naty Diamante.

ENDS

Image: The award-winners from the Oscars

Notes to editors

Media contacts: mary.mcconnell2@nhs.net or call 020 7472 6665

About the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role in the care of patients. Our mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. In the 21st century, the Royal Free London continues to lead improvements in healthcare.

The Royal Free London attracts patients from across the country and beyond to its specialist services in liver and kidney transplantation, haemophilia, renal care, HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, Parkinson's disease, vascular surgery, cardiology, amyloidosis and scleroderma and we are a member of the academic health science partnership UCLPartners.

In July 2014 Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital became part of the Royal Free London. Read 'A bigger trust, a better future'.