A consultant surgeon’s lifetime work in women’s healthcare was recognised at Southport and Ormskirk hospitals’ annual Time to Shine staff awards.

Mr Sanjeev Sharma received his lifetime achievement award from executive medical director Dr Kate Clark at the online ceremony broadcast to staff and their families.

Dr Clark said: “I’ve learnt from the unprompted warmth with which colleagues talk about him, that he is a man held in huge esteem by all those who knew and worked with him.

“It is said he could hardly walk down a corridor without people stopping him to say hello! Perhaps it was because he helped so many of them over the course of his long career – and few forgot his kindness and approachable manner.”

The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, from Formby, joined what would become Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust in 1992 after being a senior registrar in Liverpool.

Using his close links with the city, he developed a first-class fertility service at Ormskirk hospital that made dreams come true for many hundreds of couples.

Mr Sharma, who retired in summer after being struck down with COVID-19 in March 2020, joined the ceremony remotely with his wife Deepali. Their daughter Iona thanked his colleagues on behalf of the family.

Also recognised was intensive care nurse Jennifer Harrison who won the people’s health hero award. She was chosen from more than 50 nominations made by members of the public.

The Time to Shine awards were hosted by nurses Brendan Prescott, deputy director of quality, risk and assurance, and Rachelle Alty, head of professional practice development for nursing and midwifery.

The awards were presented by trust chair Neil Masom and the executive directors. The sponsors were Edge Hill University, workforce partners NHS Professionals, solicitors Hill Dickinson, and clinical technology partners System C.