And NHS staff in Sunderland are also celebrating after scooping a Health and Social Care Award.

The Your Lifeline group at Thornhill School and Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust (TPCT) beat off competition from more than 80 entrants to be named among the winners at the regional awards ceremony.

The Health and Social Care Awards honour work carried out to benefit patients, families, staff and communities in the North East.

Thornhill's Your Lifeline group won a Mental Health and Wellbeing Award for breaking down barriers and challenging stigma.

The group set up its own website using stories from people who have experienced mental ill health and created its own album and video.

The scheme, supported by Comic Relief, has been backed by comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders and Radio One DJ Chris Moyles.

Sunderland TPCT won the Adopt, Adapt and Improve Award for two projects – the St Benedict's Hospice day care centre and the minor injuries unit at Grindon Lane.

A number of changes were introduced to improve the two services for patients.

The winners could be in line for success at the national finals, which take place in London in July, as part of the NHS 60th anniversary celebrations.

Bev Atkinson, director of provider services for NHS South of Tyne and Wear, which includes Sunderland TPCT, said: "We are delighted that the success of these two very different types of local health services has been recognised and included as leading models of care.

"The high standards of patient-centred care they provide are already being used as best practice nationally.

"Bringing important healthcare services closer to patients and local neighbourhoods is a priority for Sunderland TPCT, which won the Adopt, Adapt and Improve Award."

The regional award ceremony took place at the Hilton hotel in Gateshead.

County Durham Primary Care Trust scooped the Dignity in Care Award for the Macmillan patient and user-focused care.