THE host of the South Wales Argus Health And Care Awards has spoken about the valuable work our health and care professionals provide.

The GP, TV presenter and author Dr Hilary Jones will be the host of our special presentation event at Chepstow Racecourse on October 19.

Best known for his work on breakfast shows TVAM and GMTV on ITV, Dr Hilary Jones is now health editor for the channel’s breakfast television and can regularly be seen on Good Morning Britain.

He said: “I’m delighted to come and celebrate people who put their life and soul into what they do and helping others. Celebrating success is so important in this day and age where so many people complain, so when I get a nice invitation, especially from Wales, how can I say no.”

Celebrating the work of health and care professionals is something that Dr Hilary thinks is vital, and he says he feels their work is sometimes undervalued.

“The work that is done is absolutely magnificent, but it’s everyone pulling together as a team,” he said. “I just wish that people on the receiving end – the patients - would sometimes realise what it takes for people to provide the service they do, how much it costs and the expertise and dedication and thoroughness of the treatment they receive. We do undervalue and underestimate what goes into providing such a great service.”

Some of the nominations received reveal the human side of the health and care sector and the reasons why people become involved can be very personal.

“The stories are very motivating and very moving,” Dr Hilary said. “They also remind me personally about why I went into a medical career in the first place.

“I think it’s good for everyone working in healthcare to remind ourselves why we got into this, why we want to help our fellow human beings and we are lucky in some ways for doing a job which is for the emotional reward that we get.”

Dr Hilary is looking forward to meeting the finalists at the awards evening.

He added: “I’m looking forward to the awards and I’m actually coming back a day early from my holiday to be there, so I am flying back without the family to be at the awards.”

You can nominate people or organisations in the 15 South Wales Argus Health And Care Awards categories until 5pm on September 4.

For more information about the awards and to nominate someone deserving of one of our awards visit southwalesargus.co.uk/healthandcareawards.