AWARDS season is coming up again and the Hereford Times Health and Social Care Awards will be taking place on October 3.

This year I have been fortunate enough to be a judge and I can honestly say I have been massively impressed by the number, range and quality of nominations.

More and more organisations and members of the public are getting behind the awards and identifying outstanding individuals and teams that go well above and beyond what would normally be expected of them.

In reality, I think there are very few people who work in health and social care services that don’t do far more than their job description outlines or work more hours than they are contracted for.

However, there are a small percentage of people in the sector that stand head and shoulders above their colleagues due to their commitment to the people they support.

For this cohort of people their work seems to give them a platform from which they can explore new and innovative ways to improve the lives of those around them; not just the people they are paid to support, but their families, and the people they work alongside too.

I am really pleased that we take the time to celebrate the work of these individuals and the impact they have on people's lives.

These services are a cornerstone of our society, we need to support them, promote them and make people realise what a great place to work they can be.

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However, whilst this is great at acknowledging paid staff, I would also like to acknowledge the army of unpaid carers who work to keep friends, family and loved ones safe every day. Without these heroes our health and social care services would collapse.

EUAN MCPHERSON

CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SERVICES FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING