Team of the Year
Winner
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust: Acute Oncology Service, North Devon District Hospital
This team, comprising a nurse consultant, two advanced clinical practitioners, five clinical nurse specialists, two assistant practitioners and two administrators, operates over seven days and provides specialist support for any cancer patients admitted who are acutely unwell. It manages daily ward reviews, a 24/7 patient helpline and an ambulatory assessment area that enables patients who need assessing to be reviewed in the acute oncology unit instead of presenting at the emergency department. A nurse-led paracentesis pathway was also developed and unknown primary cancer and suspicion of cancer services are supported. The team’s work has prevented hospital admissions and reduced length of stay by 40%.
Finalists
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Operation Provide
NHS-employed independent domestic violence advisers attended incidents of domestic abuse with the police to deliver risk assessments, safety planning, and emotional and practical help. Having supported more than 3,000 people, the initiative has been launched as a national homicide prevention framework.
British Indian Nurses Association: Pastoral, wellbeing and career support
The association, launched to meet unmet needs, advocates for Indian nurses. It ofers mentorship as well as pastoral, career development and welfare support, and arranges culturally appropriate social activities. It has helped members achieve promotion, some to senior level.
Care UK: Weald Heights
The manager and deputy manager ensured all staf were trained to increase their knowledge of end-of-life care, which improved care continuity. Gold Standards Framework accreditation was achieved via close work with families, residents and other service providers.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust: Innovate to integrate personalised care: how a complementary health and wellbeing team is leading the way
A protocol was created with an algorithm to be able to ofer oncology patients the most appropriate interventions, such as talk or touch therapies, and contact type. A digital referral system was designed to assess distress levels, so patients could be prioritised and supported quickly.
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust: Armed Forces Veterans Project
An electronic information referral system linked all sites and ensured ‘veteran’ status was easily identified so support could be tailored to the patient’s needs. Staf induction and e-learning was also implemented. Care quality improved, and length of stay and costs were reduced.
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust: Enhanced Rehabilitation Outreach Service
A 16-20-week pathway existed to help service users transition from rehabilitation wards to the community. Two additional pathways were launched for those who needed longer-term support. They proved to be a success and, as such, will be expanded countywide.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust: The Bus Stop
To reduce aggression and self-harm on an acute mental health ward, the ‘bus stop’ – a place where chairs were strategically placed between communal areas and bedrooms – became an area where brief interventions could be delivered. Concerning incidents reduced and service users felt supported.
Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust: Health facilitation team development
The health facilitation team was set up to improve annual health check (AHC) provision and quality for people with a learning disability. Six staf review the registers of 199 GP practices to find the ‘hidden population’ and improve the quantity and quality of AHCs.
Modality Partnership: Homeless Health Team
The team provided in-reach primary care into a hospital setting, via admission to engage homeless patients and provide holisitic care. Following them into the community, it reduced readmission as well as discharge back to the streets, and improved referral rates to other services.
NHS Practitioner Health: First Contact Team
The team was set up to cope with the rapid increase in practitioners needing mental health and addicition support or treatment. It has provided initial assessments, triage assistance, early interventions and onward referrals, and developed care pathways.
Solent NHS Trust: The Portsmouth Rehabilitation and Reablement Team
This team of health and social care staf from diverse specialties provides rapid response to incidents in the home, multidisciplinary care packages, and visits and therapies to ensure care is holistic. Hospital admissions and demand on local partners have decreased and patient feedback is consistently high.