On Thursday night the Royal Free London NHS Trust held their annual awards ceremony.

Ham & High: Cardiology matron Clare Carter-Jones receives her award from Michelle Colliins. Picture: Royal Free LondonCardiology matron Clare Carter-Jones receives her award from Michelle Colliins. Picture: Royal Free London (Image: Archant)

Staff from the trust’s hospitals donned their gladrags while Eastender Michelle Collins was on hand to hand out awards.

The soap star also used the opportunity to thank staff at Royal Free Hospital for the care they had shown her mother, who has been ill over the past year.

She said: “I am very proud of our NHS so when I was asked to take part in tonight I of course said yes”.

More than thirty staff members received gongs.

Notable winners included the Royal Free’s cardiology matron Clare Carter-Jones who won the trust’s chairman’s award for her leadership.

Elsewhere Dr Rajamanickam Vignaraja was honoured as clinician of the year for his work treating fractures in the elderly and Malavika Bangera was named volunteer of the year.

Sir David Sloman, Royal Free London group chief executive, congratulated the winners and added: “We had a record number of entries for this year’s awards which is a testament to the commitment and dedication of all of our colleagues who make the Royal Free London such a special place to work.”