Praise for staff who work for the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust came at their annual awards evening.

At the ceremony at the Gulbenkian Theatre, Kent University, BBC South East presenter Geoff Clark introduced individual presenters for each of the nine categories.

Awards were given for hard work and skill in delivering excellent patient care.

New trust chairman Nick Wells said: “This is an event which is designed to celebrate the excellence of the work done by our staff at all levels, in all disciplines and specialities across the trust.”

The full list of awards is as follows. They are trust-wide unless stated.

Customer care: Dr Neil Goldsack, consultant physician and Mandy Carliell, customer communications manager, Queen Mother Hospital, Margate; runner-up, Belinda Swan, maternity care assistant, William Harvery Hospital, Ashford; highly commended, Laura Potter, Medway renal unit.

Service transformation: MS nurses, Maureen Speed and Susan Holmes, Buckland Hospital, Dover; runner-up, medicine matrons and ward manager; highly commended, pathology.

Improving access: dermatology team, Kent and Canterbury Hospital; runner-up, cardiology team, QEQM and WHH; highly commende, out reach chemotherapy team, working in Dover, Deal, Faversham, Herne Bay and Folkestone.

Best use of IT: WinDIP team, K&C; runner-up, pharmacy on call; highly commended, pathology.

Support service of the year: supplies; runner-up, clinical coding; highly commended, Anne Kirkham, clinical skills.

Leadership award: Dr David Hargroves, consultant physician, K&C; runner-up Wendy Hills, cancer lead nurse, K&C/QEQM.

Trust board award: Dr Alison Leak, director of medical education QEQM and infection prevention and control team.

Healthcare professional of the year: Belinda Swain, maternity care assistant, WHH; runner-up, Madeline Harris, consultant midwife, K&C; highly commended, Bryony Neame, outreach chemotherapy manager.

Healthcare team of the year: day surgery, K&C; runner-up, minor injuries unit, Buckland Hospital; highly commended, trauma and orthopaedic, QEQM and WHH.