NOMINATIONS for the Western Telegraph’s Health and Care awards are now closed, and our judging panel is hard at work deciding on who among the candidates are worthy of winning.

Meanwhile, the newspaper that fights for Pembrokeshire is proud to have Western Power Distribution on board as a sponsor of the Volunteer of the Year award at the 2018 Health and Care Awards.

Western Power is the electricity distributor for the Midlands, Wales and the West, serving more than 7.9 million customers over a 55,500sqkm area.

At the heart of the company’s operations is a drive to priorities services for those who rely upon home care provided by medical services to live a full life.

WPD works to put the vulnerable and most in-need customers before all others, especially the elderly during the colder months of the year, and those who are living with medical equipment in their homes.

Towards this end, Western Power has a Priority Services Register, where customers can highlight their needs, and let the company know if they have complex medical needs, including the use of heart and lung ventilators, dialysis machines, and automated medication.

The power distributor also works with charities and local authorities – like Pembrokeshire County Council – to protect the vulnerable in the unlikely event of a power cut.

In recent years, the company has also made steps towards helping customers who are living in fuel poverty.

Western Power supports charities and holds advice hubs to give advice to those who are struggling to pay to heat their homes.

WPD employs more than 6,500 members of staff across Wales, the Midlands and the West, and follows five guiding principles.

These are to take personal responsibility, work with others to find a solution, follow the problem until the end, keep the customer informed, and treat customers the way you would like to be treated.

For more information about Western Power Distribution, visit the website: westernpower.co.uk

The Western Telegraph’s Health and Care awards ceremony 2018 will take place this October in the glitzy surroundings of the County Showground Pavilion.

There the host, ITV’s Dr Hilary Jones, will announce the winners of each of the 14 award categories.

These categories are:

- Care Home Of The Year

- West Wales Unsung Hero Award

- GP Practice of the Year

- Pharmacy of the Year

- Doctor of the Year

- Best Innovation Award

- Nurse of the Year

- Outstanding Achievement Award

- Early Years Award

- Support Staff of the Year

- Volunteer of the Year

- Paramedic or First Responder of the Year

- Third Sector or Community Team of the Year

- Together We Achieve Award