HIGH flyers from the world of health who have helped treat people with HIV and battled through the floods to get to work were presented with prizes at Worcestershire Primary Care Trust's first achievement awards.

The ceremony at the Charles Hastings Education Centre, Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Worcester, celebrated the hard work of those prepared to go beyond the call of duty to make lives better for their patients.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sheena Stewart, head of sexual services in Worcestershire, based in Worcester.

Ms Stewart began her career in nursing 42 years ago. In the late 1980s, as a health visitor based at Spring Gardens Health Centre. she got involved with caring for people with HIV and their families. She became the manager of the sexual health service and was also lead staff member for teenage pregnancy.

Another of the winners was Alexandra Colbourne, a "quiet, unassuming person" who works as a part-time administrator/receptionist at Moor Street Clinic.

She lives in Upton-upon-Severn and relies on the bus to get to and from work. During the summer floods in July she tried to get a bus back home from the bus station in Worcester only to find there was no service and she was stranded.

She arranged to stay in a hotel on the Friday of the floods - even though there were no beds - and came to work early on Monday before she was due to start.

She finally got home on Monday night even though public transport was still not available, but when she found she could not get to Worcester because of the flooding she offered her services at Upton surgery and clinic instead.

Paul Bates, chief executive of Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, said: "The PCT wishes to publicly acknowledge the high standard of care our staff provide and to acknowledge staff dedication to the NHS."