"The night just gets better and better and it is a brilliant evening."
The judging panel, who was made up of five health experts, said in a number of categories choosing the outright winner was very difficult.
"A lot of the entries were so close in calibre," the panel said.
The HBDHB EngAGE Orbit team stole the show on the night winning the Royston Hospital Supreme Award and the Southern Community Laboratories - Excellence in Service Improvement Award.
The team were recognised for their move to a seven-day allied health service for the emergency department, acute assessment unit and the community.
EngAGE Orbit are one of the first teams to move to this seven-day roster and the Royston Hospital manager Denise Primrose said they were innovative and looked outside of the box.
The team worked to improve the outcomes for patients by avoiding admissions to hospital and better supporting patients in their own home on discharge so complications associated with hospital stays were reduced.
The panel of judges described them as a group who were leading the country with their work.
"This team's work featured progressive innovation that was patient-centred and evidence-based."
EngAGE Orbit team leader Sarah Shanahan said the team were blown away and she was left "speechless".
"It has been a real journey and we are so passionate about developing this service that stops the frail getting admitted into hospital too early."
A new addition to this year's awards was the Outstanding Contribution to Improving Health in Hawke's Bay, a combination of last year's categories Team of the Year and Leadership Achievement Award.
A standing ovation was given to Jeanette Frechtling as she was announced the inaugural winner of the award by district health board chairman Kevin Atkinson.
The judging panel described her as someone who made outstanding progress and had overseen change to benefit consumers for a number of years.
Ms Frechtling had shown commitment to continuous improvement of the child development service to benefit children and their families for more than 20 years and had led the team from being a service of six to 30.
Ms Frechtling said was humbled, privileged and honoured to be the first recipient of the award.
"It is not about me it is about the team and everyone we have worked with, which is everyone in Hawke's Bay. It has been a huge pleasure so thank you."
Mr Atkinson said the last six years on the HBDHB had been some of the best, as the awards provided a chance to publically acknowledge the work the health organisations had achieved.
"The entries are outstanding and the calibre continues to improve every year. It is such an exciting evening for health in Hawke's Bay."
2016 Health Award Winners
Southern Community Laboratories Excellence in Service Improvement
Winner: HBDHB EngAGE Orbit team.
Highly commended: HBDHB Facilities and Infrastructure team.
BAND Commitment to Quality
Winner: Royston Hospital Acurity Health Group.
Highly commended: Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders quality from HBDHB's child development Service and Women Child and Youth services
Highly commended: Improve patient identification to reduce mislabelled laboratory
Hawke's Bay Excellence in Provider Collaboration and Integration
Winner: EngAGE Multi-Disciplinary team
Highly commended: Ease up in the Bay
Skyline Aviation Excellence in Innovation
Winner: The PIPI Study
Highly Commended: Whanau Wellness Study
Buddle Findlay Excellence in Clinical Practice
Winner: Operation Productivity
Highly Commended: Sarah Glass
Hawke's Bay DHB Commitment to Reducing Inequalities
Winner: Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga
Highly commended: Providing access of care for those with known or potential respiratory disease Hastings Health Centre, Te Mata Peak Practice, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga
Outstanding Contribution to improving Health in Hawke's Bay
Winner: Jeanette Frechtling
Highly Commended: Operation Productivity perioperative unit HBDHB
Royston Hospital Supreme Award
HBDHB engAGE ORBIT Team