Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust and South Central Ambulance Service have won a prestigious national award for its innovative use of technology in the treatment of patients in their own homes.
The collaboration, which has greatly reduced unnecessary hospital admissions, was recognised at the annual Our Health Heroes Awards, held on Tuesday 16 April and sponsored by NHS Shared Business Services.
Thanks to the team's efforts, clinicians across Hampshire are now able to diagnose patients within their own homes in just four minutes. What’s more the integration of rapid point-of-care testing (PoCT) into Urgent Community Response and hospital-at-home frailty virtual wards, delivers faster and more informed decision-making for older adults, where timely diagnosis and treatment are critical. Seemingly innocuous symptoms can mask serious underlying conditions, and delays in care can have significant consequences. PoCT tackles this challenge head-on, enabling rapid diagnosis and treatment decisions right at the bedside.
Speaking at a glittering awards ceremony held in London, Consultant Nurse Abigail Barkham said:
“It feels great to win this award. It's an exciting innovation. And I’d like to thank all colleagues in across Hampshire hospitals, the ambulance service, and Southern health for working together to deliver it.”
Paula Hull, Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals commented “This service is a great example of nurses and allied health professionals leading the way, learning new skills, and implementing technologies to improve care for older people in our communities. We will be able to start people’s treatment much sooner and improve their condition and experience of care at the same time. I have seen this in practice first hand and the enthusiasm in this team is infectious!”
John Ayling, Head of Service for Specialist Practice of South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) said “This latest award is a testament to the innovation of the partnership and the professionalism of all the staff involved. SCAS is very proud of our Specialist Practitioners and the work they have contributed to this very successful initiative”.
The Our Health Heroes Awards is delivered by Skills for Health and sponsored by NHS England, NHS Employers and NHS Shared Business Services. To find out more visit: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/awards