There's still time to nominate your healthcare hero in the Packet's Cornwall Health & Social Care Awards 2021.

Hosted jointly by Packet Newspapers, Newsquest and LocaliQ, the awards will celebrate our incredible front line NHS, health and care service workers who have put themselves before others in our time of need over the past 12 months.

The awards ceremony will be virtually on Thursday, June 24 from 7pm on the Packet Newspapers Facebook page.

It will be a celebration of the hard work and dedication that has been shown over the past 12 months and continues to take place on a daily basis in the the health and social care sector, focussing on the individuals and their stories.

Now is the time to start nominating people, via www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/cornwallhealthawards2021 - and you only have a month left to do it in.

There are 12 categories to nominate teams and individuals for. These are:

The Health Care Team Award​: This can be from any sector but must demonstrate impact, very strong team working, strong communication, and the ability to work across organisational boundaries.

The Care Home Worker Award: An individual who strives to improve the delivery of care in the care home sector through developing ways to enhance nursing care. ​

The Health Care Employer Awards: Someone who can demonstrate strong commitment to employees without diminishing the care they provide. The winner will have a strong and loyal workforce, who feel valued and recognised for the contributions they make.

999 Award​: Be it police, fire and rescue, ambulance, coastguard, RNLI or mountain rescue, this award aims to acknowledge the heroic acts that the officers and volunteers of the emergency services perform on a daily basis.

The Good Nurse Award​: This person must demonstrate outstanding levels of commitment to patient care and put the patient at the heart of what they do. Entrants can be from any health care profession, and can work anywhere, from community care to surgical theatres.

Unsung Hero Award​: A normal individual – whether a neighbour, delivery driver, carer, helper, friend – or professional who has made an exceptional contribution to the community, delivered outstanding care or acted as an inspirational figure during this pandemic.

Best Young Fundraiser Award​: We are looking for someone under the age of 18 who has given their time and energy to raise money for other people.

Adolescent and Child Health Care Award​: Open to an organisation, department and or individual carer/nurse/doctor/charity who specialises in the care and treatment of children and adolescents within Cornwall.

Best Key Workers Award​: This could be a teacher, supermarket employee, medical staff, 999 services, delivery driver etc – we want to officially recognise the vital and amazing work they have done and are doing during these difficult times.

GP Practice of the Year Award​: This award recognises the contribution of everyone in the GP practice in providing a good service to patients, where staff have gone the extra mile when treating you or someone you know.

Hero of the Year – a person whose actions have been exceptional in the pandemic.

The Social Care Employer Award: This recognises the contribution of a social care employer, who strives to improve the delivery of care for their staff and clients.

The closing date for nominations is Monday, April 19 at 12 noon.

Dr Hilary Jones, a GP and TV personality, will be hosting the awards ceremony, with a celebrity endorsement from Falklands veteran Simon Weston, making it a massive celebration of all those amazing people who have gone above and beyond for the people of Cornwall.

The awards are being held in partnership with Swallowcourt Private Care Provider, with Cornwall Adult Health & Social Care Learning Partnership (CAHSC) as our charity partner.

All category winners will receive a celebratory hamper from the Cornish Hamper Store.

We are also looking for sponsors for the remaining categories, so if you are an individual or business wanting to pay special tribute to Cornwall's healthcare heroes contact Brian Fisher on the above email or call 01326 213313 for more details.