Bedford Hospital is holding its fifth Celebrating Excellence awards to celebrate the hard work and commitment of its staff.

The event is sponsored by the Times & Citizen, and we are looking for your help with nominations for one of the categories.

In the ‘Patient’s Award’, members of the public are being invited to nominate either a member of staff or a volunteer, or even a team or department, who they feel have worked extremely hard to provide an excellent standard of care, either for themselves, a friend or a family member.

It might be that someone at the hospital has made your time there there happier.

Or someone may have ‘gone the extra mile’ to make you feel comfortable.

If so, please get in touch!

The awards ceremony itself takes place on September 26 in the hospital’s Swannery restaurant.

Staff have been making nominations internally for the other award categories, which recognise innovation, leadership, partnerships and unsung heroes.

In recognition of the 300-plus people who give up their spare time to help staff and patients at the hospital there is also a prize for volunteer of the year. Last year this award was won by June Allan, who has been a volunteer for 30 years and is often seen manning the main reception desk.

If you would like to make a nomination for the Patient’s Award, then please fill out the nomination form HERE and either send it to: Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, Kempston Road, Bedford MK42 9DJ. Alternatively you can drop it into the hospital at any of the receptions.

Please send your nomination in by August 31.

One winner and several highly commended nominees will be recognised.

More information on the award categories and nomination forms can be found on the front page of the hospital’s website at www.bedfordhospital.nhs.uk