Frimley Health's work to improve the experience of patients in hospital has been recognised with a prestigious award for our voluntary services team.

It was named Team of the Year at the recent Patient Experience Network (PEN) National Awards 2016.

The team co-ordinates all voluntary work across our three main hospital sites – Frimley Park Hospital near Camberley, Surrey, Wexham Park Hospital in Slough and Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, Berkshire.

The honour came as we were also shortlisted in the Best Organisation category of the 2017 Patient Safety Awards.

The PEN National Awards, which were held in Birmingham last week, celebrate the delivery of outstanding patient experience by those working in the health and social care industry.

The Team of the Year award recognised efforts by voluntary services manager Mike Stone and administrator Harpreet Rall to highlight the value of volunteers to patients and staff throughout the organisation.

The team has strengthened links with frontline colleagues to ensure volunteers are welcomed and treated as part of the team and that staff are listened to.

It has also implemented an improved and robust recruitment process and ensured roles are focused where they will most benefit the experience of patients.

Our patient experience manager Claire Marshall was runner-up in the Manager of the Year category at the same awards.

Frimley Health director of nursing Nicola Ranger said: “I am delighted that the outstanding work of our voluntary services team has been recognised with this award.

“Our patients are at the heart of everything we do and Mike and Harpreet get the best out of our fabulous volunteers to ensure people being treated in our hospitals are as comfortable as possible.”

The voluntary services team was also shortlisted in the Thames Valley and Wessex Leadership Academy (TVWLA) Recognition Awards earlier in March and last year received a special commendation in the National Association of Voluntary Services Managers’ Excellence in Volunteer Management Awards.

Meanwhile, we have also been shortlisted in the 2017 Patient Safety Awards, to be held in Manchester in July.

We are nominated for the Best Organisation award – the category we won in 2016.

Tracey Coulson, head of patient safety at Frimley Health, said: “We were delighted to win this award for the first time last year and even more delighted to be shortlisted again this year.”