EXPERT Suffolk health workers who can boast physiotherapy, nursing, mental health, pharmacy and podiatry skills have scooped an award.The Generic Workers project, set up by Suffolk Primary Care Trust staff, picked up the Service Transformation award at the regional Health and Social Care Awards.

EXPERT Suffolk health workers who can boast physiotherapy, nursing, mental health, pharmacy and podiatry skills have scooped an award.

The Generic Workers project, set up by Suffolk Primary Care Trust staff, picked up the Service Transformation award at the regional Health and Social Care Awards.

The project, which was set up in 2004 in east Suffolk, will now go on to the national finals on July 1. There are now 95 generic workers in the county who cut across traditional health and social care in their work.

Another Suffolk PCT project, the Home Blood Transfusion Service, was runner-up in the Adopt, Adapt, Improve category.

Jane Benten, generic worker project coordinator based at Bluebird Lodge in Ipswich, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to win. We were up against some tough competition. It was nice for the Generic Workers to have recognition.

“An awful lot of people have been involved, such as Ipswich Hospital therapists, mental health teams and social care staff to make the service better for patients.”

Carole Taylor-Brown, chief executive of the PCT, said: “Both projects are exceptional and staff who made this happen have helped hundreds of people in the community already.

“With an aging population in Suffolk, these kinds of projects are very important, giving people increased support in their own homes. Everyone should be congratulated for their hard work.”

Have you been helped by the generic workers? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.