THE leadership board of a Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group has been honoured with a regional award.

The Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (HRW CCG), responsible for the planning and purchasing of health services in the area, has been named as the NHS Board/Governing Body of the Year in the Yorkshire and the Humber NHS Leadership Recognition Awards 2013.

The Awards celebrate leaders who have improved people’s health and enhanced the public’s experience of the NHS.

As part of its entry, the HRW CCG outlined its biggest challenge, which is improving care for older people in the area.

It launched the ‘Fit 4 the Future’ campaign which included several open events where residents’ views on their health services were gathered and used to shape future strategy.

HRW CCG also highlighted how it involves the public in everything it does, including establishing a community network which helps keep residents informed of the group’s work and relays feedback to the CCG.

Dr Vicky Pleydell, clinical chief officer at HRW CCG, said the group has risen to challenges and was determined to do the right thing for the public.

She added: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at the CCG, who make the organisation what it is.

“I am very proud to be part of it.

“This award belongs to the whole of the CCG as the governing body is an integral part of the whole rather than a separate group.

“We will now be finalists at the national awards in London and our fingers are crossed for further success.”