Two Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust teams have been nominated in this year’s national Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards – the Oscars of the healthcare world.
The Trust is up for the Staff Wellbeing Award for its ‘Outstanding Theatres Service’ (OTS) programme, while its Rheumatology team and partners, DrDoctor, have been shortlisted for the HSJ ‘Partnership of the Year’ Award for their successful nurse advice line project.
The OTS project also faces competition from colleagues at the West Yorkshire Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub for “supporting the county’s workforce to be well at work: a multi-level and whole system approach.”
The Bradford OTS programme ran from October 2021 to 31 January 2024 and was set up in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to increase staff wellbeing, introduce earlier theatre start times, enhance patient flow and improve the patient experience.
Theatres Clinical Lead, Consultant Anaesthetist, Dr Fozia Hayat, commented: “I’m delighted that our extensive work to support wellbeing has been recognised at the HSJ Awards.
“We introduced initiatives such as wellbeing days, simulation sessions, mini-simulations, a career progression roadmap and upgraded our theatre facilities at the Bradford Royal Infirmary. This wouldn’t have been possible without the engagement of our theatre staff, surgeons and resident doctors.
“We worked together to improve our service efficiency and productivity, with enhanced culture and teamwork at its core.”
Consultant in Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Dr Deborah Horner, was the Trust’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the duration of the OTS programme.
She said: “The OTS programme followed on from the Trust’s successful programme in maternity (OMS). The Covid pandemic had a huge impact on the wellbeing and morale of our theatre teams and we recognised that any programme that sought to improve our theatre services needed to have our colleagues and patients at its core.
“The ethos of our outstanding programmes has always been to support staff to make change happen to improve services for our patients and it’s been great to see improvements in theatre start times, list efficiency and fewer overruns, while seeing an increase in the care and wellbeing of our staff.”
The Rheumatology Team nurse advice line project – which was installed in a partnership with tech firm, DrDoctor – aimed to cut the waiting times patients have to get information and guidance. It also empowered patients to manage their own condition by providing valuable help and online information, alongside streamlining their points of contact within the department when they call.
Early this year our Rheumatology team of (from left) Lead Rheumatology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Catherine Short, Consultant Dr Kavitha Nadesalingam and Amy Precious from the Trust’s Transformation team scooped the ‘Best Contribution to Improving the Efficiency of NHS services’ at the HSJ Partnership awards.
Rheumatology Consultant, Kavitha Nadesalingam and Rheumatology Nurse Specialist Catherine Short led on the project.
Dr Nadesalingam commented: “‘We are delighted to have been shortlisted and have our innovative digital advice line recognised at a national level. Patient feedback has been positive and we continue to work with patients to develop our advice line further to improve the care we deliver.”
Colleagues at the Bradford District Care FT and Bradford District & Craven Health and Care Partnership were also nominated for the Digitising Primary Care Award for ‘Improving the patient experience in talking therapies with clinical AI’.
Others from the region shortlisted include:
- Transforming Care for Older People Award: Leeds Health and Care Partnership – HomeFirst – integrating intermediate care in Leeds
- Workforce Initiative of the Year Award: Leeds Teaching Hospitals – creating a sustainable and inclusive workforce within the NHS Bank: a model based on 4 key pillars
- Independent Healthcare Provider of the Year: Inhealthcare and Leeds Teaching Hospitals – Reduce bed days through virtual wards
- Primary and Community Care Innovation: Leeds GP Confederation – Adult ADHD ‘waiting well’ project
Congratulations and good luck to all those shortlisted.