THE achievements of bereavement care nurses at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have been praised by the chief executive.

Kevin McGee said end-of-life care had ‘not been held in high regard’ in the past but praised award-winner Erin Bolton and others in the team for making sure the trust was now seen as a ‘leader’ in providing high-quality care.

Mrs Bolton was named Nurse of the Year by the British Journal of Nursing.

Mr McGee said: “I think it’s fair to say that in the past, end of life care at ELHT was not held in high regard.

“Today, thanks to the dedication and compassion of Erin and others at our trust, East Lancashire is now seen as a leader in providing high quality, personal care at such a difficult time in people’s lives and I’m so proud that her work has now been recognised."