Doctor who walked six miles through snowstorm among winners at Sunderland and South Tyneside Best of Health Awards

And so has a dedicated team of workers who constantly cleared roads and paths as The Beast From The East raged.

They were just two of the winners on a night of cheers and tears at the Sunderland and South Tyneside Best of Health Awards.

What a finale it was as dozens of incredible health professionals were honoured for their remarkable work, in a ceremony held at the Roker Hotel, in Sunderland.

Awards were handed out across 13 categories and one of the highlights was the standing ovation to the two winners of the 70th Award which celebrates 70 years of the NHS.

One went to Alan Cooney from South Tyneside. He couldn’t get his car out of the snow, so he walked six miles in dreadful weather conditions to make sure that none of his patients missed their surgery.

Meanwhile over in Sunderland, another set of heroes were hard at work. The City Hospitals Estates and Facilities team cleared paths and roads so that patients, staff and ambulances could get to hospital safely.

But there were plenty of other inspiring winners including two who collected the Long Term Achievement Award.

Kamil Wynne, a consultant at South Tyneside Hospital since the late 90s, was hailed for his incredible dedication and commitment to patients – and for putting the South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust on the map in the area of laparoscopic surgery.

Dave McNicolas, the ICCU manager at City Hospitals Sunderland, was honoured for more than 30 years of dedication – as well as his support for both staff and management.

Two incredible women, Dorothea Low and Eleanor Thompson, lifted the trophies in the Community Nurse of the Year section.

Dorothea, who works for Sunderland and South Tyneside Primary Care Trust, was praised for her extreme dedication during 49 years in the NHS.

Eleanor, who works on the Clarendon District Nursing Team, was hailed as ‘a great representation of what a nurse should be’.

Other worthy winners were; Happy House Surgery, which picked up GP/GP Practice of the Year; Claire Glover, who received Care Worker/Health CareAssistant and Dental Nurse of the Year went to Joan Burnton.

Hospital Doctor of the Year went to Arun Krishna and Dr Neil Hopper.

Dentist/Practice of the Year went to Julie Fitzgerald Community Dental Service and City Dental.

Other winners included; Lynn Metcalfe and Jacqui Ramshaw, who won Midwife of the Year; Claire Elwell and Karen Henderson, who picked up Nurse of the Year; and Daniel Pugh, who won Pharmacist/Pharmacy Technician of the Year.

Team of the Year went to Sunderland City Hospitals Emergency Department and the Community Midwifery Team at South Tyneside.

While customer service/Unsung Hero Award went to Susan Maughn an Gill Hanratty.

Thanks to all of our sponsors: South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, and the Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group.

The Sunderland Echo and Shields Gazette will both be running a pull-out supplement with more photographs and reaction from all of our winners on Wednesday, 
May 2.

Here is your list of winners from the Sunderland and South Tyneside Health Awards:

(Where applicable the judges chose a winner for each area in certain categories, in others one person was chosen as an overall winner.)

GP/GP PRACTICE OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY CITY HOSPITALS SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST:

Happy House Surgery, Sunderland.

HOSPITAL DOCTOR OF THE YEAr

SPONSORED BY SUNDERLAND CLINICAL 
COMMISSIONING GROUP:

Arun Krishna, South Tyneside.

Dr Neil Hopper, Sunderland.

NURSE OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY SUNDERLAND CLINICAL 
COMMISSIONING GROUP:

Claire Elwell, Sunderland.

DENTIST/ DENTAL PRACTICE OF THE YEAR 
SPONSORED BY SHIELDS GAZETTE:

Julie Fitzgerald Community Dental Service, 
South Tyneside.

City Dental, Sunderland.

DENTAL NURSE OF THE YEAR 
SPONSORED BY SOUTH TYNESIDE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST:

Joan Brunton, Sunderland.

COMMUNITY NURSE OF THE YEAR 
SPONSORED BY THE SUNDERLAND ECHO:

Dorothea Low, Sunderland.

Eleanor Thompson, South Tyneside.

CARE WORKER/HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT

SPONSORED BY SOUTH TYNESIDE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST:

Claire Glover, Sunderland.

MIDWIFE OF THE YEAR 
SPONSORED BY CITY HOSPITALS SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST:

Lynn Metcalfe, Sunderland.

Jacqui Ramshaw, South Tyneside.

PHARMACIST/ PHARMACY TECHNICIAN 
SPONSORED BY SUNDERLAND CLINICAL 
COMMISSIONING GROUP:

Daniel Pugh, South Tyneside.

TEAM OF THE YEAR 
SPONSORED BY SHIELDS GAZETTE AND 
SUNDERLAND ECHO:

Sunderland City Hospitals Emergency 
Department.

Community Midwifery Team, South Tyneside.

CUSTOMER SERVICE/UNSUNG HERO AWARD 
SPONSORED BY SOUTH TYNESIDE NHS 
FOUNDATION TRUST:

Susan Maughn, South Tyneside.

Gill Hanratty, Sunderland.

LONGTERM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 
SPONSORED BY CITY HOSPITALS SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST:

Kamil Wynne, South Tyneside.

Dave McNicholas, Sunderland.

70th AWARD

SPONSORED BY CITY HOSPITALS SUNDERLAND AND SOUTH TYNESIDE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST.

Choice Facilities Service Team, Sunderland.

Alan Cooney, South Tyneside.