A team from the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been named as finalists at this year’s HSJ Awards.
The Children and Young People team has been shortlisted for the Primary and Community Care Innovation of the Year award for improving outcomes for children with respiratory illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The HSJ Awards, now in its 42nd year, is the largest annual benchmarking and recognition programme for healthcare. Through a rigorous, fair and transparent judging process the awards produce a roll call of the best organisations, teams and people in the NHS and the wider health sector.
The Children and Young People team worked with hospital teams and GP networks to set up four dedicated primary care hubs for children, in response to a significant increase in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -a common winter virus that causes cold-like symptoms and coughs and can lead to hospital admissions in babies and young children.
The GP-led hubs provided same-day, face-to-face appointments to children aged 12 years and younger to ease pressure on the NHS at a time of increased demand and provide reassurance to parents. The hubs were so successful that in some cases they expanded to offer appointments to whole families.
Dr Tania Hussain, Primary Care Clinical Lead for Maternity, Children and Young People for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “We are delighted that our primary care hubs have been recognised at this year’s HSJ awards.
“Since the first hub opened its doors in January, we’ve seen thousands of patients benefit from this service, which is fantastic. Not only does it provide much-needed capacity for GP practices, at a time where there is already an increased demand for appointments, but it also means more children can be seen face-to-face straight away and parents are less likely to take their child to a walk-in clinic or A&E.
“It’s really rewarding to see the difference this is making in our communities, and to be shortlisted against some stiff competition shows just how important the hubs are.”
This is the second award the hubs project has been shortlisted for, with the team previously being named as finalists in the HSJ Patient Safety Awards, also for their work on the primary care hubs.
Mark Axcell, Chief Executive of the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “We are absolutely delighted that our Children and Young People team has been shortlisted for not one but two prestigious awards that showcase the very best in patient care.
“This fantastic achievement recognises the hard work and dedication of the team, who have gone above and beyond for patients in the Black Country.
“Huge congratulations and best of luck for the awards night.”
The winners of the HSJ Awards 2022 will be announced during an awards ceremony in London on Thursday 17 November.
The Patient Safety Award winners will be announced on 15 September.
