HEALTH sector workers were honoured during an annual awards ceremony.

During the ceremony, Provide staff were recognised for their care and compassion, leadership, innovation and enterprise.

Outstanding employees and volunteers also picked up gongs.

The Colchester-based social enterprise delivers health and care services in Essex, Peterborough, Cambridge and outer north east London.

John Niland, chief executive of Provide, said: "These annual staff awards highlight the commitment, compassion and innovation of our staff and volunteers.

"They also demonstrate the exceptional and inspiring efforts that have been made to improve the care that we deliver.

"It was difficult to judge many of the categories as there were many high quality entries, so my congratulations to every individual and team who were nominated and to all those who received long service or educational awards."

Among those who were honoured was long-server Kerry Hooper, who has worked as a community nurse in a number of locations before progressing to become a matron.

Mrs Hooper, who is based at the social enterprise's headquarters, in the Crescent, Colchester, is now in charge of making sure care is delivered as close to home as possible.

The sustainability award was won by the Essex Child Health Information Service, also based in Colchester.

The team is in charge of an Essex-wide child information service, which focuses on screening and immunisation records.

They have created a system which combines, and emails, relevant information to GP practices, which saves time and is more efficient as GP practices receive the information in one email, rather than several.

Caroline Spindler was named as the outstanding employee for her work as receptionist at Provide HQ.