Two services offered by The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust have been shortlisted for a national award for demonstrating outstanding practice as well as cutting-edge innovations.
The Day Case Unit at Russells Hall Hospital has made the shortlist in the HSJ Value in Healthcare Awards 2017 for improvements that have resulted in patients waiting less time for their procedures.
“We are really pleased to be shortlisted in two categories and to have our teams’ hard work recognised,” said Paul Bytheway, Chief Operating Officer.
Improvements to privacy and dignity mean that patients are no longer admitted directly to the ward to wait by their beds until surgery: they now stay in the admissions lounge, fully clothed, until just before their procedure
Patients with learning disabilities experience less stress because their admissions paperwork can be done in their homes before they come into hospital.
The unit has been shortlisted in the category of ‘Improving the value of surgical services’ while a service that offers a fast-track emergency kidney operation (a nephrostomy) is shortlisted in the category of ‘Acute sector redesign’.
The 24/7 nephrostomy service means patients across the Black Country and Wolverhampton can now receive their procedures over weekends and bank holidays.
The new out-of-hours service, run by teams of interventional radiologists and urologists working together, is improving healthcare for many patients.
One patient to benefit is Walsall grandmother Patricia Franks, aged 54, who was taken by ambulance to Russells Hall Hospital from Manor Hospital to have her procedure on a Sunday evening.
“They did a fantastic job and I didn’t mind travelling because they were able to do it straight away so I didn’t have to wait,” said Patricia, who has suffered with kidney problems for 30 years.
The joint working has come about because The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare Trust have formed the Black Country Alliance (BCA) and are working in partnership with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust providing the fast-track service.
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 24th May 2017 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.
