Three Lincolnshire health services shortlisted for glory in national awards ceremony

Mental health, learning disability and community-based NHS services across Lincolnshire have all been shortlisted for the highly prestigious, national HSJ Value in Healthcare Awards.

North East Lincolnshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Learning Disability and Autism service and Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust’s Clinical Assessment Service (CAS) all have a chance of bringing home a trophy at the acclaimed awards ceremony later this year.

The event looks to recognise the country’s most outstanding healthcare services as well as some of the NHS’s most cutting-edge innovators.

The North East Lincolnshire CAMHS Service which is delivered by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) has been shortlisted in the ‘Specialist Services’ category.

The multi-disciplinary team who specialise in mental health care for children and young people up to the age of 18 was an integral part of the Trust’s Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services which secured an ‘Outstanding’ rating in the Trust’s 2016 Care Quality Commission inspection report.

Tracey Urquhart, NEL CAMHS Service Manager, believes the nomination is just rewards for a highly passionate team whose innovative care model has attracted the attention of similar services across the country.

She said: “We are really pleased that the HSJ have recognised the quality of the health care we provide in our service and we regularly receive visits from other healthcare providers, who are interested in the care model we have implemented here.

“The team are extremely passionate about what they do, and will always go that extra mile to ensure we tailor our service exactly to the needs of the young people who need it.

“We deal with challenging circumstances every day, but we always look at the best way we can overcome them and we are always open to the latest research so that we can improve and continue to provide the best service we possibly can for our patients.”

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) has been nominated in the Emergency, Urgent and Trauma Care category for its Clinical Assessment Service (CAS).

Patients are diverted to the service by 111, before being assessed on the telephone by an experienced clinician in order to receive the appropriate and timely urgent care services and advice they need.

With LCHS working in partnership with East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, CAS is the first service of its kind in Lincolnshire to work across organisational boundaries. It has been designed to help reduce unnecessary home visits, accident and emergency department attendances, emergency hospital admissions and ambulance transportations.

Natalie McKee, Head of Urgent Care at LCHS, said: “We are very proud of the Clinical Assessment Service and to have been recognised by the judges at the HSJ Value in Healthcare Awards.

“This is a new concept but one which is already making a significant difference in supporting patient’s access to appropriate urgent care services in Lincolnshire. The CAS and its wider team are a great example of how partnership working and innovation are helping to drive better care within our communities.”

South West Lincolnshire CCG will compete in the ‘Mental Health’ category and have been recognised for the way the service has listened to feedback and with LPFT - who help deliver the service - have reformed the way it caters for the needs of patients with learning disabilities and autism.

“We are delighted to have been nominated for this prestigious award,” said Sharon Jeffreys, Chief Commissioning Manager for mental health, learning disabilities and autism at South West Lincolnshire CCG.

“During the last twelve months we have totally redesigned the way we deliver our services across Lincolnshire for the benefits of our patients.

“The recognition is a testament to the hard work and determination shown by everyone to deliver high quality services that really do make a difference.”

All the finalists will be required to complete presentations and interviews to a judging panel comprising of senior and influential figures in the healthcare industry, ahead of the showpiece event at Grosvenor House, London on 24May, later this year.