IN celebration of International Nurses Day, staff, consultants and patients at BMI Werndale Hospital in Bancyfelin, joined millions around the globe in honouring nurses for their dedication to patient care and commitment to improving the health of their local communities.

Gaynor Llewellyn, director of nursing, presented BMI Healthcare pen torches to all nursing staff and healthcare assistants at the hospital. They were then invited to a special tea party where they enjoyed homemade lemon cup cakes especially made by Lisa Williams, deputy head chef.

Gaynor Llewellyn said: "Delivering holistic patient care is not an easy job. It can be very demanding and even exhausting at times, so we wanted to take this opportunity to recognise the hard-work and dedication of our nurses who work day and night to ensure our patients get top-notch medical treatment delivered within a friendly, comfortable and compassionate environment."

Caroline Daymond, executive director at BMI Werndale Hospital, commented: "The celebrations were fun and very heart-warming and very well-deserved. I feel very fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated team of nurses and healthcare assistants at our hospital, so it's an absolute pleasure to take a day out to pay tribute to their roles."

Every year on May 12, the birth date of one of the most famous nurses in history, Florence Nightingale, nurses around the world are recognised for the life saving and tireless support they give to their patients.