HEALTH and care professionals gathered at a special ceremony on Thursday night to celebrate the amazing work done in their sectors.

The South Wales Argus Health and Care Awards presentation event took place at Chepstow Racecourse.

Individuals and organisations from the health and care sectors were celebrated through 15 award categories that were awarded on the night.

Speakers on the evening were Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport Vaughan Gething, executive chairman at St Joseph’s Hospital Brian Staples and Dr Hilary Jones.

Mr Gething said: “The reason we are here is a celebration of all of the things we have achieved and that we can achieve in the future. The fact that the public have nominated people in every single category, from the volunteers to all the different grades of staff in the different part of our healthcare service that make it work.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate excellence and achievement, not just in treatments and the outcomes people have but in the care and the attention people receive in our service, often at their most vulnerable, and to go away and feel as though they have been cared for and not just treated.”

Following dinner, Dr Hilary Jones was welcomed to the stage by South Wales Argus’ editor Nicole Garnon.

Dr Jones spoke about his experience as a GP and as a television doctor and said that it’s the little things people do in the health and care sector that make a big difference.

He said: “What’s great is one thing never changes, that is the staff. They are the backbone and the marrow of the NHS. Without the finalists there is no NHS, it can’t exist.

“It’s on your goodwill and your sacrifice, you doing unpaid overtime on relatively poor pay that makes the difference and I am honoured to be a part of the staff that make up the NHS.”

“We are here to reward you guys and I think that’s really important because it isn’t said often enough. It’s privilege to be here to say thank you all for everything you do.”

The headline sponsor of the event was St Joseph’s Hospital, in Newport, who also sponsored the Health Care Professional of the Year Award.

Hussain Bayoomi, managing director of the South Wales Argus, said after the event: “It was an incredible evening celebrating the unsung heroes within the health and care sector. It was a chance to showcase individuals and organisations that go that extra mile day in day out.”