MENTAL health workers have won a leading award for promoting good practice in Derwentside.

Staff from County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust have won a European Week of Health and Safety Award.

It follows the trust's work to promote the service with a week of events last October.

Staff organised a series of sesions for people who had mental health problems, learning disabilities or had suffered from substance misuse.

These included courses looking at complementary health, monitoring blood pressure and how to beat stress.

Trust workers Michael Houghton, Adela Cairns and Sarah Hopkins collected the award at a regional ceremony held at the Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club, in the city's Kingston Park, on Monday.

Sue Canning, the trust's director of human resources, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award and it is a credit to the hard work put in by Michael, Adela, Sarah and others.

"Health and safety is an extremely important aspect of creating the best possible care environment for our patients and is something that the trust takes extremely seriously.

"This award is proof of our commitment to providing the best environment for both staff and patients."