It was a massive night of celebration on Tuesday when our pioneering care for our dementia patients smashed all the opposition at the national HSJ's Patient Safety Awards.
Our team beat off seven other finalists to clinch the top award at the finals at Manchester Central. Judges hailed our approach of bringing in 6th form students to work alongside our nurses and doctors saying: “This is great work and should be rolled out nationally.”
Renee Comerford, said: "It was surreal, amazing. the whole team is a very proud one!" Matron Barbara Schofield, described as a "bouncing kangaroo" when the result was announced, said: "It was more than winning. What they said about us was amazing. They gave us such a build up. Before saying the Trust name they said the winner is a campaign which really needs to be a national one. They'd told us that during the shortlisting so we knew it was us. A lot of work has gone into it and the night was amazing."
Our Director of Nursing Brendan Brown, said: "Huge congratulations to the team for winning this award, which is a reflection of the hard work, cross-boundary working and engagement the team have undertaken in meeting their unlimited potential in the best interests of patients and their families."
In their ruling the judges said: The evidence is clear that keeping older people mobile, free from pain, hydrated, well slept and free from infection while they are in hospital reduces the risk of them developing delirium in hospital. They recover better and are more likely to return home.
"The initial setup cost the trust nothing – although funds have been allocated to roll it out to more clinical areas.
"The challenge is how to deliver this – and the winner came up with a novel solution: bring in A-level students as volunteers to promote drinking, eating, mobility and social engagement. It’s been a huge success.
"Serious harm falls have been zero for two years now and complaints have dropped from more than three a month to zero or one. Patients with fractured neck of femur are more likely to return home.
"Staff, patients and volunteers alike all enjoy working together."
The awards were part of the 8th annual Patient Safety Congress and Awards attended by 2,000 safety leaders from Trusts across the country. The Chief Executive of the NHS Improvement, Jim Mackey, was among 70 speakers during the event.
