HEALTH Secretary Frank Dobson this week praised the NHS Trust which covers Leighton Hospital when he presented a prestigious award.

Mr Dobson presented Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust with the coveted Investors in People award when he visited Leighton Hospital on Tuesday.

He said the award was a "tremendous achievement" for the Trust because of its size and diversity.

The Trust, which employs 2,000 people at Crewe's Leighton Hospital and Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, scooped the award earlier this year.

Mr Dobson met staff from Charter Mark winning teams from Leighton's Therapy Services and Northwich's Physiotherapy departments.

He also saw the learning resources available at the Joint Education and Training Library and learned at first hand about the close links the Trust has forged with colleges and universities to extend staff training opportunities.

"This award is a reward for excellence and is richly deserved by the Trust," said Mr Dobson.

"It is a tremendous achievement for an organisation of such size and diversity and is a tribute to the Trust's commitment to training and developing its staff.

"The NHS simply could not deliver the standard and range of care people need and expect without the dedication and commitment of its staff. And it is only right that its staff should be nurtured, developed and valued by their employers.

"Over the past three years Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust has put an enormous amount of thought and effort into improving training opportunities for its staff as well as improving communication with and support for staff. This award recognises those efforts."

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