The procurement team at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (SFHFT) — which runs King’s Mill and Mansfield Community hospitals — has won a prestigious award.

It was named Procurement Team of the Year at the national Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2016/17.

To win the award, sponsored by Government Opportunities, SFHFT fought off competition from 10 finalists.

Entries were reviewed by a panel of judges, made up of experts in UK procurement and commissioning.

They included Sally Collier, chief executive at the Crown Commercial Service, and Ainslie McLaughlin, director of procurement and commercial at the Scottish Government.

Bob Truswell, strategic head of procurement at SFHFT, said: “As a team we were delighted to be in the shortlisted 10 for the finals.

“To hear we had won the award for best team was amazing.

“It is an incredible achievement, and a tribute to our close-knit team.

“The procurement team is relatively small but does go the extra mile in delivering a service to our customers.”

Peter Wozencroft, director of strategic planning and commercial development at SFHFT, said: “It is a great testament to all of our procurement staff who work so hard together. We knew they were the best, but to be awarded this national accolade, which is voted by peers, is a fantastic achievement.

“This is recognition of one of the most knowledgeable and innovative teams in the trust. We are proud of them.”