Published on: 8 August 2022
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care System (ICS) partners are proud to reveal that they have been shortlisted for two awards at this year’s prestigious HSJ Awards, recognising outstanding contribution to healthcare and earning the opportunity to showcase their achievements on a national platform.
Health and care partners across the two counties have been named as finalists in the award categories ‘Innovation and Improvement in Reducing Healthcare Inequalities’ and ‘Covid Vaccination Programme Award’.
The local vaccination programme includes workers from the NHS, councils, general practice, community pharmacies, the voluntary and community sector, and other organisations. The partnership addressed inequalities in accessing the vaccine by successfully reaching out to groups and communities that might have otherwise struggled, such as homeless people, those living in areas of high deprivation, seasonal workers, vaccine-hesitant populations, and those who weren’t registered with a local GP.
The pressures faced across the healthcare sector haven’t been far from the headlines over the past 12 months – yet the quality and overriding positivity of the award entries this year highlight the enduring devotion of workers within the health and social care industry, dedicated to improving patient outcomes.
A staggering 1067 entries were received for the HSJ Awards 2022, with 219 projects and individuals making it to the final shortlist (from across 162 organisations). The high volume - and exceptional quality – of applications is once again reflecting the breadth of innovation and care within the UK’s healthcare networks.
Now in its 42nd year, the HSJ Awards continue to provide an opportunity to shine a light on the outstanding efforts and achievements that individuals and teams across the sector deliver on a daily basis.
Following the thorough judging process, Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS was shortlisted, ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held later this year (November 17). Despite the tough competition, both submissions really did stand out as a ‘success story’ worthy of a prized place on the panel’s shortlist. At this first stage of judging, the shortlist was based on ambition; outcome; value; involvement & working together and crucially, how the project might be “picked up” and replicated elsewhere for the benefit of both patients and professional colleagues.
Simon Trickett, Chief Executive of NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire said: “It’s fantastic to see our system shortlisted for these two awards. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the existing health inequalities suffered by many people, and our approach to the vaccination programme provided us with the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of the people and communities we serve.
“These awards are for each and every one of those who worked to deliver the vaccines, from the larger vaccination centres through to our community outreach teams. We have a vision for more integrated health and care services across the two counties, and this is an excellent example of partners working together for the benefit of our population.”
Erica Hermon, Associate Director of Corporate Governance and Company Secretary for Wye Valley NHS Trust said; “This is great recognition of our remarkable partnership working. Volunteers from different backgrounds, retired healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, HCAs and armed forces personnel all worked together.
“Strong integrated working gave us an understanding of the barriers to access vaccinations and areas of inequality, allowing us to engage with community leaders to improve accessibility. This has improved understanding and appreciation of our collective challenges across a rural county. These relationships have also ensured that we capture the voices of those seldom heard, to inform a range of system-wide developments to deliver better outcomes for our residents.”
Finbarr Nolan, Outreach Manager at SW Healthcare, said: “We’re all incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for our work both in Health Inequalities, and the wider Covid-19 Vaccination Programme—which is testament to the passion, hard work, and dedication of everyone who’s been part of the vaccination effort since January 2021.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to reach those who, for whatever reason, don’t or aren’t able to engage with the health system—with services including dedicated Quiet Hour clinics for patients with sensory processing disorders, outreach clinics in maternity wards and homeless shelters, and roving vans visiting areas of deprivation to ensure every single person in Worcestershire has easy access to the healthcare they need.”
HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, adds; “On behalf of all my colleagues, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate the Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS on being shortlisted as a finalist in the categories of Tackling Health Inequalities and Covid Vaccination Team. All of the applications represent the ‘very best of the NHS’ and often leave our esteemed panel of judges with an impossible choice!
“Year on year the number of entrants continue to rise which I find so encouraging and is testament to the effect that HSJ Awards can have on improved staff culture and morale.
“We’re all very much looking forward to welcoming our finalists to the awards ceremony in November, celebrating their impressive achievements and jointly acknowledging our values of sharing best practice, improving patient outcomes and continuously driving for better service. But we never forget that the award ceremony is not just a celebration within a night, but a platform to recognise the hard work of all our NHS staff, all year round.”
The full list of nominees for the 2022 HSJ awards can be found at https:/
The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at the Battersea Evolution Centre, London on November 17, 2022.
