The Department of Health and Social Care’s annual awards and graduation ceremony took place at the Villa Marina yesterday.

The 196 degrees, qualifications and awards given out celebrated the commitment of health and social care staff to professional development and recognised the enormous amount of hard work which led to these achievements.

Presentations were made of higher education and other nursing and clinical qualifications, diplomas, Qualifications and Credit Framework awards, ProQual Awards, Institute of Leadership and Management Awards, long service awards, The Queen’s Nurse Award, The Queen’s Ambulance Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and the Chief Ambulance Officer’s Commendation Award.

Howard Quayle MHK, Minister for Health and Social Care, told the ceremony: ‘We aim to improve the lives of the people of the Isle of Man by putting those who need our services at the very heart of everything we do.

‘Continuing self-development through learning ensures our staff are best positioned to meet the exacting standards rightly expected by the public.’

Among those honoured at the ceremony were students who have studied for degrees at bachelor and masters levels and other qualifications through the Government’s Learning, Education and Development division in conjunction with the University of Chester, Manchester Metropolitan University and Aberystwyth University.

Representatives of the University of Chester and Manchester Metropolitan University presented their awards.

The Minister also said: ‘We should be very proud of the effort put in by students, mentors and teaching staff in developing the skills of practitioners, as demonstrated by the exceptionally high grades attained.

‘In nursing, our graduates will in time become the leaders of their profession in the Isle of Man and will play a key role, through the examples they set and through mentorship, in the development of current and future students.

‘This year saw the first graduates from our MSc programme, demonstrating exactly how far professionals can go as they continue to learn and grow with us. Investing in learning, training and development means our staff across all areas of health and social care can be equipped to deliver our goals.’

Recruitment of the next intake of 20 nursing degree students in the Isle of Man begins in January 2016.

Dr Malcolm Couch, Chief Executive of the DHSC, opened the ceremony, while Jackie Betteridge, CEO of Crossroads Care, gave the keynote address.