Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Winshat-Trick of NHS Wales Awards!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board WinsHat-trick of NHS Wales Awards!
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is celebrating today (Wednesday July 3, 2013) after winning three NHS Wales Awards for its work to improve patient care.
Employing people who have experienced mental health conditions to act as peer support workers for patients who need mental health care scooped the Developing a Flexible and Sustainable Workforce award, at the ceremony in the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff.
A partnership project with Public Health Wales to introduce a screening service to check for heart defects in babies across Wales won the Improving Quality Through Better Use of Resources award.
And the third award, in partnership with Cardiff University, was Promoting Clinical Research and Application to Practice for the introduction of an all-Wales laparoscopic (key hole surgery) training scheme for colorectal cancer surgeons.
Jared Torkington, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, said, “It’s fantastic that this innovative work to develop and implement key hole training for colorectal surgeons has been recognised at the NHS Wales Awards.
“There has been a massive increase in the number of patients who are suitable for surgery receiving it and we have also created a legacy of training for surgeons across Wales.”
Judges praised the development of peer support worker roles in mental health services who are more responsive to the needs of people because they have had similar experiences.
Three people have already gained part-time roles in the NHS and third sector, and the rest are in volunteering or educational roles.
Andrew Lidyard, from Cardiff, has trained as a mental health peer support worker after having suffered long periods of depression.
He said, “This whole project is about helping people achieve their potential to help others in their mental health recovery. This has helped me refocus my life and use my mental health experience as a positive thing to help others who are going through the same thing.”
The introduction of a standardised screening service to check for heart defects in babies across Wales has also made a big impact, reducing mortality from the condition and improving diagnosis and treatment.
Heart defects are the most common congenital abnormality in babies and in Wales the detection of the condition was below the UK average, with screening only available in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Now screening is available in every district general hospital in Wales with results made immediately available allowing prompt treatment, should it be needed, to start locally.
Since the service has been running death in babies from heart defects has substantially reduced with most recent figures showing a survival increase from heart defects from 30% to 75%.
Chris Tidswell, Head of Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Wales, who judged the award, said, “This project demonstrated high levels of patient satisfaction with shorter waiting times and improved detection rates across Wales. There was a real enthusiasm from staff to develop and implement this service.”
The development of an all Wales laparoscopic training scheme for colorectal surgeons and their teams has improved care for patients and delivered high quality effective clinical practice.
In 2006/07, only 9.5% of patients in Wales with colorectal cancer were able to have a laparoscopic surgery.
Over five years the Welsh Laparoscopic Training Scheme (WLCTS) has delivered high quality training to over 50 colorectal trainees. Twenty-one consultants have attended immersion courses and introduced laparoscopic surgery into their practice.
The results have been impressive with the percentage of colorectal cancer patients who have undergone laparoscopic surgery increasing to 42%.This is higher than almost all other European countries including the other home nations of the United Kingdom.
The annual NHS Wales Awards celebrate the work of individuals and teams across Wales whose innovative work is improving the quality and safety of care for patients.
Seven NHS Wales Awards were given to organisations and a full list of winners is available at
Minister for Health and Social Services Mark Drakeford, who attended the awards ceremony at the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff, today, said, “The finalists of the NHS Wales Awards represent the hard work which is going across Wales to improve services.
“Even though the Awards focus on a small selection of projects, we are actually celebrating every member of staff in NHS Wales who puts patients and citizens at the centre of everything they do each day.
“I’m so glad to see that all the colleagues who have entered the Awards are working on the basis that we have two jobs – to do our job and to improve our job.
“Whether you are a finalist or a winner you have already won because your ultimate aim and achievement is to improve care for patients and that happened a long time before we stood here today.”
The NHS Wales Awards were launched in 2008 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the NHS.
NHS Wales Chief Executive David Sissling, who presented the awards today,said that the standard of entries demonstrates world class ambitions and achievements.
He said, “Every year I am impressed with the high quality of entries to the NHS Wales Awards. They are an impressive reflection of the professionalism of our NHS Wales staff and their commitment to safe, efficient and compassionate care.
“This annual event is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence and showcase the talents of teams across Wales who work continuously to make improvements that benefit patients.
“I would like to thank everyone who entered -your work and dedication is making a real difference to the quality and safety of care being delivered to patients.”
ENDS
For the latest news follow us on Twitter @NHSWalesAwards
*For further information, please contact Alison Watkins on 07854 386054 or e-mail