Gateshead patients say community staff are ‘angels’

NHS community staff have been praised by the public for their hard work and commitment to providing outstanding care for Gateshead residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members of the public nominated the staff of the Community Business Unit, part of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, to receive an award for their dedication to looking after patients throughout the pandemic. The Community unit includes staff such as nurses, occupational therapists, podiatrists and healthcare assistants, who all support and care for patients in the community.  

They were presented with a Blaydon Angel Award by Liz Twist, the Member of Parliament for Blaydon, at a socially-distanced ceremony at Blaydon Leisure Centre.

Liz Twist established the Blaydon Angel Awards in the summer of 2020 and encouraged local residents to nominate those who they felt had made an outstanding contribution to the Gateshead community during the pandemic.

Nicola Allen, Acting Director of Operations for Community Services, said: “We’re beyond proud to have been given this award, and it’s especially heartening to have been nominated by a member of the public. Like many NHS staff, the community team have worked tirelessly in very challenging circumstances to provide continuous quality care, so we want to thank the public, both for our nomination and for their ongoing support.”

Liz Twist said “I’d like to thank everyone for all the work you’ve been doing during these difficult circumstances and it’s really appreciated. I am pleased to be able to present you with my Angel Award. We couldn’t manage without you and I want to say a heartfelt thank you.”