Virtual College judges patient safety training awards

The Patient Safety Awards, which recognise outstanding practice within the NHS and independent healthcare organisations, will take place in Manchester on 4th July.

This year saw fierce competition for these coveted awards with over 550 submissions, of which only 170 made it to the final cut.

Shaun Lintern, Senior Patient Safety Correspondent, said: “The Patient Safety Awards, now in its 9th year, is an annual celebration of the NHS’s fantastic efforts to improve the quality of healthcare. The winning projects are led by dedicated teams or individuals who have made measurable differences to the care their patients receive. Our independent judges, drawn from across the health service, have chosen the very best of the best – a collection of talent that every year helps the NHS continue to be a global leader in safety.

“It’s important we remember these teams and projects have been delivered during a time of tremendous pressure when staff are having to work harder and harder while under the shadow of austerity and pay restraint. This is one of the toughest times for the NHS as patient demand and acuity continue rising and there are workforce shortages across all health sectors. In that context the success of each of the winners and shortlisted projects are that much more deserving of our thanks and recognition.”

As the sponsor of the Education and Training in Patient Safety Award, which acknowledges the important role technology and online training plays in the healthcare sector, Virtual College was on the panel which met to judge the entries for this award.

The shortlisted entries for the award are: • Haelo: Improvement Science for Academics (IS4Ac)

Kingston Hospital Foundation Trust: Training in cardiotocography to improve birth outcomes
London Ambulance Service Trust: Dementia Care Matters in the Ambulance Service
NHS Lothian: Educating the entire theatre team in safer airway management
Royal United Hospitals Bath Foundation Trust: 'Tea trolley' training programme: a novel approach to multidisciplinary training in the workplace
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust: New training for incident review within the Combined Community and Acute Care Group of STHFT
University of Huddersfield: Tissue Viability Leading Change: National Competency Framework
West Midlands Academic Health Science Network : Learning from Excellence
Whiston Hospital: Attitudes to and effectiveness of prescribing error feedback in an acute hospital setting.
York Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust: Foundations in Patient Safety and Quality - developing awareness of and engagement in patient safety and improvement

Judith Clarkson, director of Virtual College, will announce the winner at the inspirational evening awards ceremony which will take place on the 4th July.