SHE is the ‘guardian angel’ of the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre.

And now, ward sister Louise Flaxman has been handed the hospital’s highest accolade – the Nurse of the Year award.

The 36-year-old was surprised to win the coveted trophy during the NOC’s ‘Celebrating Success’ awards, now in their 11th year.

But after hearing of her success, Miss Flaxman’s patients and colleagues at the hospital, in Windmill Road, were not so surprised.

Pensioner Nesta Surman, 77, from Witney, has spent weeks under the care of the ward sister after under-going a hip replacement.

The grandmother-of-five said: “I’m so very pleased for her, but not at all surprised. The thing about Louise is she takes the trouble to do stuff. Nothing is ever too much bother.

“We call her a guardian angel. All of the nurses here are.

“I have been treated like a queen during my stay here.”

NOC chief executive Jan Fowler added: “I was delighted but not at all shocked to find that Louise had been nominated for the Nurse of the Year.

“Louise is an outstanding ward sister, who demonstrates a real commitment to patient care and the development of her nursing team.”

Miss Flaxman joined the NOC in August 1999, and has since worked her way up to a ward sister on the hospital’s Bone Infection Unit (BIU).

It is the country’s only specialist unit dedicated to the investigation and treatment of patients with all aspects of bone or joint infection, and Miss Flaxman has been credited with transforming the way the ward is run.

She was one of more than 50 staff whose achievements were recognised at the annual awards ceremony last week.

Miss Flaxman, who lives in Abingdon, was nominated for the award by patients and members of the hospital’s League of Friends group.

She said: “It’s really nice to be recognised. I had no idea I was going to get the award.

“I’ve always loved the challenge of my job.

“I like seeing patients happy and creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for them.

“A lot of them end up staying here a long time so it’s part of my job to make sure their experience here is a good one.”