Health workers in Suffolk have been commended for their “incredible dedication and professionalism”.

Employees of the West Suffolk and Ipswich and East Suffolk clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) attended their annual awards ceremony as part of a joint “Staff Away Day” at the University of Suffolk’s Waterfront Campus in Ipswich.

More than 100 nominations were received, with Healthwatch Suffolk chief executive Andy Yacoub announcing the winners.

They were:

• Working in partnership – Claire Pemberton, IESCCG head of primary care

• Innovation – Karen-Lynne Dowsing, Claire Jay and Alison Sadler for their work on the atrial fibrillation project

• Making a difference to patients and the public – Julie Irving, information sharing programme manager, for her work on patient record sharing

• Living the CCGs’ values – Lorraine Parr, senior transformation lead for mental health

• Star behind the scenes – Fiona Jackson, HR administrator

• Patient Participation Champion – Jane Garnett, lead for procurement

NHS staff also heard a series of motivational speeches from Anne Humphrys, co-chair of the Suffolk Parent Carer Network; Nick Hulme, chief executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust and Mark Shenton, chairman of Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG.

The CCGs’ chief officer Ed Garratt praised the staff’s collective achievements in children’s emotional wellbeing, dementia care and cost saving.

Dr Garratt said: “These staff awards recognise the really good work that is being done by staff at our CCGs to ensure NHS services are effective and that people receive the support and care they need.

“Front line NHS medical staff such as doctors and nurses are publicly lauded for their incredible dedication and professionalism, and quite rightly so.

“But NHS commissioning staff also play a crucial role in shaping and helping to deliver efficient health services in Suffolk and their often unheralded efforts are equally worthy of recognition.

“It was fantastic that so many teams and individuals were nominated for the awards and I would like to thank all members of staff for their commitment and dedication.”