A new annual award for outstanding contributions to primary healthcare has been set up in memory of Karen Dyer.

Karen, who worked for Cwm Taf Health Board as a link between the health board and GP practices in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf, died suddenly and unexpectedly in July 2012.

The award was set up in her memory by the Cwm Taf Practice Managers Group.

June Williams, the primary care support manager at Cwm Taf Health Board, was named the inaugural winner.

Kevin Rogers, chair of the Cwm Taf Practice Managers Group and practice manager at Pontcae Medical Practice, in Merthyr Tydfil, said: “As a group, we’d worked with Karen for many years and everyone got along with her.

“She was very popular and her sudden death in July hit the practices hard. We wanted to do something to remember her.”

The award will be given to people the practice managers believe have made an outstanding contribution to primary care in Cwm Taf in the last 12 months – June Williams was the unanimous winner in 2012.

Mr Rogers said: “June works as the coordinator between primary care and the health board and she really does go over and above.

“All the practice managers felt she had done an outstanding job in particularly difficult circumstances.”

Mrs Williams said: “Being presented with the first Karen Dyer Memorial Award was a very moving experience, not least because it reminded me of all the work Karen, along with the rest of the primary care team, have done over the years in building strong relationships of appreciation and mutual respect with our practices.

“To have been voted as the first award winner by the practices themselves was especially moving and I hope that the relationship between the primary care team and practices will continue to flourish.”

As well as setting up the Karen Dyer Memorial Award, practices across Cwm Taf Health Board also raised money for an inscribed memorial bench, which has been given to Karen’s husband Russell, and made a £200 donation to the British Heart Foundation.

Sarah Bradley, Cwm Taf Health Board’s Cynon and Merthyr Tydfil locality manager, said: “This award demonstrates just how well liked Karen was.

“I am extremely proud the practice managers wanted to bestow the award to June to recognise the support, commitment and dedication she has given to the wider primary care team - it is well deserved.

“June and Karen were such close colleagues and it is a fitting that she receives this award and I offer her my congratulations.”