THE Island's audiology service has been named the Department of Health's top team for 2010/11.
It was given the accolade for its work on an Island-wide restructure of the audiology service which has improved services to patients and delivered greater efficiencies.
The annual Top Team Award ceremony was held on Thursday at Keyll Darree, the department's education and training centre.
Four shortlisted teams competed for the title which is the Department of Health's highest accolade for staff.
The runners up teams were involved in the following projects: the phlebotomy service appointment system, optimising the care of vulnerable adults at Noble's Hospital and Live Well Stay Well.
The ceremony was opened by Health Minister David Anderson MHK who said: "It is a magnificent achievement for our audiology team to have won this award, especially when you take into consideration the stiff competition from our three runners up.
"The Top Team Award has been running for six years and this is the first final to be held since I became Health Minister in April 2010.
"It's a real pleasure to see the hard work and dedication of our staff recognised in this way.
"All of the teams short-listed demonstrate the dedication and commitment the department has to continually making our services better.
"Congratulations to the winners and I hope this will spur them on to even greater heights."
Following a written submission from a number of teams in December 2010, four were shortlisted for the final which involved each team delivering a 20 minute presentation to impress judges Sue Gee, managing director of TLC Solutions, Richard Butt, editor of Isle of Man Newspapers and George Quayle, chief executive of Age Concern Isle of Man.
Project lead Dariel Sayle said: "The team was ecstatic to win the Top Team Award. The whole year the team worked together was a really positive time and the audiology team has developed and grown as a consequence of the restructure.
"The top team initiative is a really uplifting experience as it helps teams to reflect on their achievements.
"We had a wonderful day and would like to pass on our thanks to the organisers and the panel of judges."
The presentations detailed the project work the teams have done over the past year and how this had benefited the department's services and the people of the Isle of Man.
Chief executive officer for the Department of Health David Killip said: "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to meet these teams and ensure that their hard work receives the recognition they rightly deserve.
"It gives me great pride to present this Top Team Award to the Noble's Hospital audiology department, but all the teams are top teams in their own right.
"These projects of course represent only a fraction of similar work going on across the department and the large number of our staff who go the extra mile to innovate and deliver excellent service every day."
Picture shows Dariel Sayle, clinical general manager, Dave Kissack, primary care operations manager, Dudley Butt MLC, member for health, Stephen Griffiths, head of audiology, David Anderson MHK, Minister for Health, Richard Butt, editor of Isle of Man Newspapers, Linda Radcliffe, clinical general manager, Sue Gee, managing director of TLC Solutions and George Quayle, chief executive of Age Concern Isle of Man
