Local NHS team wins national award

An Ashton-based NHS team has received some well-deserved recognition, after scooping a national award. 

The team based at Crickets Lane Clinic has been acknowledged for their work in partnership with Tameside Council in supporting people requiring care to remain at home. 

A range of hospital-based and community-based services have combined to support older people living in the community, whether in their own home or in a care home, in a model of care delivering "integrated urgent care at home". 

The team were nominated at this year's Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards and stood out for how health and social care services have effectively worked together to deliver a number of benefits for the community.

The Integrated Urgent Care Team (IUCT) - part of Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust - and Tameside Council joined forces to deliver services which the judges said provided “clinical benefits” and was “person-centred". 

At the heart of the nomination was the Trust's vision to provide integrated care services where patients benefit from multiple organisations working collaboratively. Tameside and Glossop was one of the first areas in the country to integrate its health and social care services.

When asked about the winning nomination, the judges at the HSJ’s Patient Safety Award said: “The winning team have developed a patient centred project with easier and quick access for patient care. The project involves digital health with data sharing and halves the two hour targeted national crisis response time to just one hour.

"The project has demonstrated significant cost saving and clinical benefits, improved patient experience and delivered financial benefits to the local economy.

“The patient testimonials are very impressive, and judges feel that this is an excellent patient safety initiative which can be replicated nationally.”

Trish Cavanagh, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust Deputy Chief Executive, added: “It’s great to see our teams recognised for the difference they are making to patients’ lives. This is true integration and an excellent example of how multiple organisations involved in a patient’s care can work collaboratively and deliver a number of benefits.

"It sounds simple, but collaborative working is something we have really been striving for across Tameside and Glossop and it’s not the case everywhere – so it’s really worthy of this recognition and accolade."

Main image:

The Integrated Urgent Care Team with Deputy Chief Executive Trish Cavanagh and their award.