Nursing Times Award winners

VALUES

Double award win for patient care

Four LUHFT teams were shortlisted in the Nursing Times Awards 2021 for their outstanding dedication to patient care, with two nursing teams winning awards.

A multi-disciplinary nursing team were crowned winners of the HRH Integrated Approaches to Care award, a category in partnership with His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. Nurses from the Trust’s Infectious Diseases, Respiratory and Critical Care won the award for their innovative role during the COVID-19 pandemic. They introduced a new enhanced training package to upskill nurses to have the knowledge to deliver CPAP safely and effectively in a ward-based setting, rather than Critical Care.

The Intravenous (IV) team were announced winners of the Patient Safety Improvement award, for the successful implementation of ultrasound guided IV cannulation. The ultrasound guidance means that high frequency sound waves can view beneath the patient's skin to see veins not visible to the naked eye, assessing their size and quality and enabling the practitioner to completely guide the cannula into the vein. Congratulations also goes to our Endocrine Specialist Nurses and Ambulatory Home Ventilation service, who were both shortlisted at the awards.

Dame Elaine Inglesby-Burke, interim Chief Nurse, said: “We are very proud of all our nurses at the Trust and the quality care they provide to our patients. The teams who have won, and been shortlisted, for these prestigious Nursing Times awards should feel a real sense of pride for this achievement. “It not only recognises their amazing commitment to patient care despite a challenging 18 months working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but also reinforces what an incredible job that our nurses do day in, and day out, for our communities.”

Celebrating our digital teams

Congratulations to our Digital Team who have achieved Excellence in Informatics Accreditation Level 1, marking the first milestone in Liverpool University Hospitals’ journey towards digital excellence.

The accreditation was presented at the NHS Connect Conference after a rigorous review. Our Chief Information Officer, Dr Jason Bincalar, was presented with the award by Pam Green, Chair of the Excellence in Informatics Assurance group. Also pictured is (L-R), Jacqui Cooper, Chief Nursing Information Officer; Mandee Leese, Digital Change Manager; Linda Havard, Digital Nurse and Melissa Royle, Digital Programme Officer.

Axess service expands

Axess Sexual Health has now expanded its services to the residents of Liverpool – making it one of the largest providers of sexual health in the UK.

This new, inclusive sexual health service came after Liverpool City Council awarded us a new contract which brings together the services currently delivered by LUHFT, Mersey Care, and Brook to become Axess. Patients can now use Axess for all elements of sexual health care including contraception as well as testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There is now a simplified journey which ensures every patient gets the care they need from one single service. Axess will continue to strive to deliver a non-judgemental, welcoming and easily accessible service for all. In addition to the expansion of existing services, Axess is opening a dedicated clinic for the LGBTIQ+ community, as well as a specific provision for young people, with their outreach services working with the community’s most vulnerable to ensure they receive a patient-focussed service with increased awareness and education around the topic of sexual health. The Axess teams will operate from a central Liverpool hub as well as two north and south locations and can also provide online bookings, remote consultations, postal testing kits and treatment through the post. Visit www.axess.clinic for more details or follow @axess_sh social media.

City’s COVID-19 story

At a special event hosted by Liverpool City Council, Sarah Meeson, Sister in ICU, was presented with a copy of Liverpool’s COVID Journey, a new book which tells the city’s coronavirus story from April 2020 through until March 2021.

Sarah was pictured in the book demonstrating the impact of wearing PPE for long periods of time. Also featured were staff outside Aintree Hospital taking part in Clap for Carers. The book uses powerful images to document key moments from the start of lockdown through to the vaccine rollout and the gradual reopening of society. Liverpool’s COVID Journey is being distributed to libraries, community centres and schools.