Care chief so proud of Shropshire Women and Children's Centre

It is the pride of her life. Not only because of its splendid, state-of-the art design, the amazing space, light, bright rooms – "there are 103 toilets in this unit and I know them all personally" – and the very best and up-to-date equipment around.

But also because of the care and warmth that the Shropshire Women and Children's Centre atTelford's Princess Royal Hospital has in abundance.

It's been impossible to keep the NHS out of the headlines during the past four months.

A New Year crisis on the nation's accident and emergency wards has been followed by numerous stories about problems caused by funding.

The state of the nation's health service has dominated the election debate, with all parties insisting that it is safest in their hands.

From Ukip to Green and from Conservative to Labour, parties have been quick to point out the pitfalls and the remedies required to get it back on track.

Issues on a local level have also caused concern and alarm. Managerial matters, patient welfare and the perennial issue of bed blocking have all made the news.

The picture might seem to be one of doom and gloom. It would be simple to conclude that the NHS is in a parlous state and the best option is for us all to cross our fingers and hope we never get ill.

And yet for all of the NHS's apparent troubles, the service continues to perform everyday miracles. Each day, dedicated nurses, doctors and administrators toil to save the lives of others. They tend the sickest and most vulnerable, most going above and beyond the call of duty to make people comfortable.

The core values of the NHS are epitomised by staff like Cathy Smith, who is the care director for the new Shropshire Women and Children's Centre at the Princess Royal Hospital, in Telford.

Cathy and her team are at the coalface, making day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute decisions that help others. Their work is tireless and unstinting. Their progress is tangible in the smiles of those they make better.

Cathy is not the only good news story from local outposts of the NHS. Seventy team members from Shropshire's two main hospitals have been nominated for awards in a presentation ceremony.

They have gone the extra mile, worked late, made critical interventions and put themselves on the line in the interests of others.

The future of the NHS is by no means certain. And the outcome of the forthcoming election will have a major bearing on how it is managed in future.

However, while politicians debate costs and management structures, foot soldiers go about their business in impressive style.

In the seven months since it opened, the unit has proved itself time and again to be an absolute winner. No wonder the woman who leads the team is quietly delighted at the facility and all it offers.

Cathy Smith, who is care group director, was thrilled that a few weeks ago the Princess Royal herself once more visited the hospital she had originally named to formally declare the new unit open.

But Cathy is mostly delighted that the facilities have already proved to be such a fantastic success for Shropshire and beyond.

The unit was around four years in the planning and while there were the inevitable discussions about whether it should be built at Shrewsbury or Telford, this particular amenity went to PRH but of course serves the much wider community.

Quite a scene-setter then for a morning chat with Cathy who had actually been called to the hospital at 4am. But cheerful and enthusiastic as she was about telling the new unit's story, you'd never have known about the lack of sleep.

Cathy lives and breathes what she does and she, and the rest of the staff, are thrilled at the new service and the impact it is having on the lives of so many families. Wandering around, you can hardly believe the size of the rooms, the birthing pool, walls with splashes of bright colour, all there because that is what mums-to-be said they would like to see.

Some essential and easily accessed equipment is hidden behind "cupboard" doors and the whole experience feels about as far removed from patients in squashed, regimented conditions as you could get.

No wonder Cathy wants to tell its story. But how did she get into the noble profession herself?

She says: "I am a Shropshire lass and trained as a nurse before qualifying as a midwife in 1985. Then I moved into management and did various jobs before becoming head of midwifery for about 10 years."

It sounds a very concise little career list. But when you think of the wealth of experience gained and given, you see how the Cathy Smiths of this world are big on the 'wow' factor.

Cathy adds: "We had only been operating here for two weeks when the Care Quality Commission visited and happily gave us good across all services."

The first of the amenities moved into the new £28million Shropshire Women Children's Centre – including an expanded assessment facility for children. So now, services include children's inpatients, children's oncology and haematology, gynaecology inpatients, emergencies, procedures and early pregnancy assessment.

Along with the 100-plus loos, the new centre can take up to 135 inpatients, with particular care for women who need a consultant-led birth, gynaecology services for women who have to stay overnight, children who need to stay overnight, children's oncology and haematology care and babies who need intensive and special care.

Children's outpatients also opened in the centre along with a 24-hours a day, seven-days-a-week children's assessment unit.

No wonder this wonderful asset has been so applauded in the county, amongst those who work there and, by the Princess Royal herself.

As it happens, at the same time an expanded children's assessment unit also opened at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. All of which are real positives.

Cathy says: "Just to show how different the facilities are, in Shrewsbury there were one bathroom and three toilets for 11 rooms. Now, rooms at the new centre are en-suite."

The unit also offers a water birthing pool and all the facilities which go along with that, as well as people who listen to patients' views – right down to the colour of the walls. The whole complex is superb.

Given how easily we criticise facilities and often the services of hospitals and health centres, what a pleasure to hear of amenities which are a delight to patients, staff, visitors and certainly to team leader Cathy Smith.

Hospitals recognise their ‘winter heroes’

Members of staff at Shropshire's two main hospitals have been rewarded for going the extra mile over the winter.

Staff were recognised at the first Winter Heroes ceremony held at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Overall, the trust received about 70 nominations for individuals and teams across the organisation, and around half were celebrated at the ceremony last week. The remaining nominees were being recognised at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital today.

Peter Herring, chief executive at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: "Every day our staff do extraordinary things for the people of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Mid Wales whom we are here to serve.

"We really do value their daily efforts, and recognise how tough it can be at times as we experience increasing demand for the services we provide.

"Winter is often the most difficult time of the year as we see incredibly high demand."

Some of the nominated members of staff included sister Nicky Brierley from the coronary care unit at PRH. She was nominated for some of her outside work efforts as she completed eight long distance runs in a year to raise almost £1,800 for charity.

Jimmy Singh and the fracture clinic and plaster room team were also nominated by a patient who described them as "kind and considerate" providing "marvellous care".

Dr Richard Brough and sister Carol Drake, from the Children's Ward at PRH, were praised for the care they gave a young patient,

while health care assistant in day surgery, Annette Wilkes, was also nominated as her colleagues described her a "total gem".