STAFF on the Wyre Forest Ward at Kidderminster Hospital have been named team of the year at a recent NHS awards ceremony.

Wyre Forest Ward opened last year to provide short-term in-patient care to those who aren't well enough to be looked after at home, but neither are they too poorly to require acute services.

Often this will include patients recovering from major surgery, or frail and elderly people with long-term health conditions.

On October 4, the team, led by ward matron Phil Shakeshaft, were recognised as winners of the team of the year award at Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust's annual staff awards event.

They were presented their award by special guest and Falklands War hero Simon Weston CBE.

The team were nominated by senior managers at the trust and their nomination said: "They are proactive, well led and have been performing consistently since opening last year.

"They have a 100 per cent friends and family test recommendation score, have increased their in-house training uptake and are an all-around fabulous team.

"They were even the setting for a wedding earlier this year, with the team pulling out all the stops to make the ceremony possible."

Mr Shakeshaft said: "We are all really delighted to win the team of the year award 2017.

"It is outstanding recognition for such a dedicated and hard-working team who really do epitomise what compassionate and person-centred care should look like and I am really proud to be matron on such a wonderful ward like this."

The team of the year award was sponsored by Advanced - the health and care trust's IT partners.