Champions of the NHS

Thousands of NHS staff, past and present, and members of the public packed Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for a special anniversary celebration show, sponsored by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the Evening Times and Radio Clyde.

It was a sparkling show on Saturday night with performances from the NHS Choir and girl group Atlanta, while there was a birthday celebration for Robert Entrican, of Uddingston, the first baby to be born in Glasgow after the launch of the NHS.

The Diamond Awards were also held at the bash - 10 gongs for the unsung heroes and heroines of the NHS, with six finalists in each category.

Joe McDonagh, A&E nurse at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, won the Friendly Face Award. He said: "It is our job and part of our life and that is just what we do."

Bubbly Radio Clyde's Gina McKie, who presented the awards, joked: "We should be sponsored by Kleenex but the NHS is about people and we are here today to recognise that."

Even normally composed Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon admitted there were moments when she found it hard to control her emotions.

Renfrew's Brian Thomson, 17, a Special Olympics judo gold medallist who recently carried the Beijing Olympic torch in London, stole the show when he stood up and thanked the staff at the Southern General neuro-paediatrics department for saving his life.

When Brian was five he sustained horrific brain and spinal injuries after falling 40 feet from a balcony.

He gave special thanks to nurse Shona Forsyth, who has been a tower of strength to the family over the years, and there was not a dry eye in the house when he turned to his "wonderful" mum, Jeanette.

"Your love has helped me mature into the person I am today," he said. "I love you."

Michelle O'Halloran, 42, of Bishopbriggs, found it hard to control her emotions as she told the amazing story of how the NHS saved her life when she contracted a rare illness 8 months into her pregnancy.

Within 37 days, Michelle's son, Cole, now four, was born by Caesarian and Michelle had had a heart transplant.

Ms Sturgeon said: "What an absolutely wonderful and inspiring occasion this has been. "So often, all we hear about the NHS are the things that go wrong and the anniversary has been a really good opportunity to hear about the good things. For every one thing that goes wrong, there are a million things that go right.

"We have heard Michelle's story but miracles are replicated in the NHS every single day, miracles that would have been impossible 60 years ago."

Andrew Robertson, chairman of NHSGGC, said: "This has been a tribute to our heritage.

"The torch has been passed to us for the next 60 years and I am very confident of the future."

The awards were presented by Ms Sturgeon, Mr Robertson, Donald Martin, the Evening Times Editor, and Clyde DJs from past and present Norman Ross, Paul Cooney, George Bowie and Tiger Tim Stevens.

UNSUNG HERO: Margaret Barnes, domestic, Renal Unit, Inverclyde Royal Finalists: Rev Ann Purdie, Southern General Ann Watt, receptionist, Dr Doak and Partners, Pollok Anne Hamilton, ward clerkess, Day Care Unit, Princess Royal Maternity David McGrory, porter, Regional Services, Southern General Douglas McMahon, patient transport driver, Scottish Ambulance Service, Coatbridge

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY WINNER: Julia Birkinshaw, volunteer, Youth Services, Royal Hospital for Sick Children Finalists: Aileen Campbell, specialist optometrist, Gartnavel General Alistair Kilpatrick, volunteer, SOS Stroke Club Sister Anne Byrne, Early Pregnancy Team, The Queen Mother's Annie Mitchell, counsellor, Hunter Street Homeless Health Centre Lyndsay Hill, patient advocate/fundraiser, Royal Alexandra

EXTRA MILE WINNER: Lisa Morrison, Cystic Fibrosis physiotherapist, Gartnavel General Finalists: Amahl Mathie, head and neck nurse, Gartnavel General .

Carol Vennard, Parkinson's nurse, Southern General Jacqueline Anderson, consultant psych'iatrist, Anvil Resource Centre Elizabeth Hendry, theatre nurse, Golden Jubilee National Donna Swabey, speech therapist, Southern General

INSPIRATION AWARD WINNER: Dr Jim White, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, South East Glasgow Primary Care Mental Health Team Finalists: Dr Grace Ballantyne, GP, Waverley Park Medical Practice, Shawlands Fiona Houlihan, team co-ordinator, Children's Nursing Team, Inverclyde Laura Meehan, Haemato-oncology lead nurse, Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre Lorraine Peebles, programme manager, Diagnostics Directorate Anne Donnelly, occupational therapy assistant, Royal Alexandra

FRIENDLY FACE AWARD WINNER: Joe McDonagh, nurse, Accident & Emergency, Royal Alexandra Finalists: Elizabeth McCallum and Elizabeth Murphy, volunteers, Yorkhill Tea Bar Dr Alistair Harper, GP, Baillieston Health Centre Plaster Room Staff, Western Lindsay Gilmore, ECG Technician Radiotherapy Mask Team, Western

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WINNER: Glasgow Weight Management Service, Ward 23, Glasgow Royal - Graham Simpson, Kim Ferrier and Dr Susan Boyle Finalists: Agnes McGowan, Principle Health Promotion Officer, Dalian House Helen Ballantyne, ocupational therapist, Hairmyres Psychiatric Helen Conroy, charge nurse, Rowanbank Clinic Lorna Shearer, youth development worker, NHS Lanarkshire Northside NHS Netball Team, Notre Dame School

BEHIND THE SCENES WINNER: Esther Liddel, ward clerkess, Labour Suite, Queen Mother's Maternity Finalists: Elizabeth Farrell, Biomedical scientist - Stem Cell Processing, Leukemia Research Lab, Glasgow Royal Alison Kelly, clerical officer, Greenock Health Centre Dennis Philips, telephone engineer, North Glasgow Anne Gallacher, housekeeper, Golden Jubilee National Graham Turnball, Radio (Southern Sound) Southern General

LOCAL HERO WINNER: Irene Robertson, Cardiac rehab-ilitation sister, Health at Heart Centre, Paisley Finalists: Loranda Guinea, community children's nurse, Larkfield Sky Development Centre, Inverclyde Mr Kenny Irvine, Community Pharmacy, Bonhill Pharmacy Leanne Connell, district nursing sister, Woodhall Clinic, Bishopbriggs Fay Hamil, medical receptionist, Hunter Street Homeless Centre Maureen Morris, former chairwoman, Greater Easterhouse Community Mental Health Forum

CHAIRMAN'S SPECIAL AWARD WINNER: Prof Clem Imrie, Lister Dept of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Finalists: Ross Grant MacDonald, Mental Health practitioner, Riverview Resource Centre Maureen Williamson, Life Skills Unit manager, Mackinnon House, Stobhill Janette Lindsay, midwife, Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit, Royal Alexandra Dr Linda Wright and staff, Toryglen Medical Centre Dr Malcolm Young, retired consultant, Royal Alexandra

TOP TEAM AWARD WINNERS: Community Out-of-Hours District Nursing Team, Vale of Leven Finalists: Rheumatology Team, Glasgow Royal B7 Ward Team, Beatson Oncology Centre Befriending Services Volunteer Team, North East Mental Health Partnership Volunteer Driving Team, Cardiac Rehab Team, Edward Unit, Stobhill Surgical ICU Team, Southern General

RUFF RUFF DIAMOND AWARD: Poppy the Therapet (accompanied by owner Anne MacDonald).