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DECEMBER 2015
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Winners! The haemodialysis team collect the Outstanding Achievement Award
Outstanding: Team’s Best in Care triumph It was an emotional haemodialysis team which took to the stage to collect the much deserved Outstanding Achievement Award at this year’s Best in Care Awards. The award recognised the immense programme of change undertaken by the team, which was led by Dr Clara Day. Director of Operations (Div B) Lynn Willetts revealed their success through a surprise video message at the awards ceremony held on November 12. “Over the last 18 months this team have commissioned five new dialysis units and seamlessly transferred over 500 patients. “To put this into context this is equivalent to the Selly Oak to QEHB move. All of this was done without impacting on day-to-day activity. “What the renal team have achieved is extraordinary; they have delicately managed relations with two private providers, the ambulance service and commercial companies to ensure that the centres opened on time and throughout continued to provide safe, compassionate care to patients. “Four of the centres opened on the same day which is something never done before in the UK. “The team have also set up Assure Dialysis an entirely separate company to deliver dialysis
All of the finalists have demonstrated great commitment and should be very proud of their achievements. Dame Julie Moore and provide care closer to home for patients living in Smethwick. “The patients have high praise for the team and often cite Dr Day as their reason for choosing to dialyse at Smethwick. “The overall level and standard of work has been outstanding, they have achieved all of this over and above the day-to-day business of running the unit and have done so without comprising their standards; on the contrary they have used this opportunity to drive up clinical standards and improve patient experience. “This can be seen by the fact that the QEHB dialysis programme has, for the second year, been ranked the highest performing in the UK. “That in itself would be an achievement but,
in context of a period of huge change, is very impressive and I am very proud to have worked with this team. Dialysis patient Shashi Patel, 35, spoke passionately about the impact that the team had made on her life having been a patient since the age of seven. “They really deserve it. You know they are the best and they put in so much more than they have to do,” she said. Nick Flint, Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kidney Patients’ Association also paid tribute to the team and thanked them on behalf of the dialysis patients for their ongoing efforts to improve patient care. UHB’s Chief Executive Dame Julie Moore, speaking at the ceremony about all of this year’s winners, said: “The Best in Care Awards is my favourite event of the year and is by far one of the most inspiring. “At a time when the NHS is constantly being scrutinised, these awards highlight some shining examples of how individuals and teams go above and beyond to provide fantastic care. “All of the finalists have demonstrated great commitment and should be very proud of their achievements. “Congratulations and thank you to everyone for their efforts.”
Everyone’s a winner. This is my favourite event of the year and is by far one of the most inspiring. Dame Julie Moore, Chief Exec For all the winners plus photos from the awards see centre pages.
Puzzle page: Delivering theBrainteasers, best in care mind benders and more P15 Find your way around: Hospital maps P16 news@QEHB 2015_12_December.indd 1
24/11/2015 09:11