AN actor from BBC medical drama Holby City was the appropriate guest of honour presenting prizes at the annual West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust's Going for Gold awards.

Adam Astill, who is currently starring as Dr Dan Hamilton in the popular hospital drama, appeared at the ceremony on Tuesday night.

He presented prizes to hospital staff and volunteers who had been nominated over the past 12 months for their hard work and commitment.

The trust received hundreds of nominations from patients and staff, which were shortlisted by an external panel of judges to find the winners in five categories.

These were: Exceptional Patient Care/Service Award, Unsung Hero of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Employee of the Year and Team of the Year.

The Cardiac Care Team at Watford General Hospital received the accolade of the Exceptional Patient Care/Service Award.

The team received a large number of endorsements and nominations from patients for the unit, who described it as “superb”, “excellent”, “tremendous” and “amazing”.

Professor Thomas Hanahoe, chairman of the trust said: "The Going for Gold awards for staff excellence ceremony is the Trust’s annual event for rewarding hard work, dedication and achievements.

“I and my fellow judges had some very difficult decisions to make to find winners from the hundreds of impressive nominations we received, many of them from patients with heart-warming stories to tell.

“Our staff and volunteers are the heartbeat of the organisation and it is such a pleasure to be able to recognise special groups of people, such as the Cardiac Care Team and Dave Self, who go above and beyond the call of duty.

“We were especially delighted Adam Astill was able to join us this year to help us celebrate the fantastic staff we have across our three hospital sites.”

Full list of nominees and winners: Winner: Cardiac Care Team.

Runners-up: Exceptional Patient Care/Service; Urgent Care Centre, Hemel Hempstead; Sarratt Ward, Watford; and Endocrine Team, Watford.

Unsung Hero of the Year Winner: Dave Self, Financial Controller, Finance, Watford.

Runners-up: James Mason, Patient Administrator, AAU, Watford; Rose Felgate, Housekeeper, Beckett Ward, Watford; and Emma Hines-Randall, Healthcare Assistant, Watford.

Volunteer of the Year Winner: Joan Broome, Surgical Appliances, Chest and ENT Clinics, Hemel Hempstead.

Runners-up: Francis Jaggard, Cassio Ward, Watford; Geneva Mayuga, AAU, Watford; and Joan Woodbridge, Starfish Ward, Watford.

Employee of the Year Winner: Jacky Jones, Hotel Services Manager, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans.

Runners-up: Esther Demari, Domestic, Theatres, Watford; Victoria Brown, Consultant, Dermatologist, St Albans and Watford; and Helen Broadwell, Enhanced Recovery Nurse, Watford.

Team of the Year Winner: Day Surgery, St Albans.

Runners-up: Multi-disciplinary SCBU/Maternity Team, Watford; Bowel Cancer Screening Team, Hemel Hempstead and Pharmacy Dispensary Team, Watford.