Awards for hospital asthma team's work
Hospital bosses in Sunderland are celebrating after being recognised in a series of awards for innovative work being done to combat asthma in children.
South Tyneside and Sunder land NHS Foundation Trust’s Paediatric Respiratory Team was highly commended in the ‘Best Health Tech Solution for Patient Safety’ category at the recent national Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards.
Its Paediatric Emergency Department Asthma Assess-mentTool(P ED AAT) was developed by the Trust’ s paediatric respiratory team to help reduce the number of children who are at high risk from asthma and struggling to manage their condition. The tool ensures they receive a follow up appointment at a dedicated asthma clinic within two weeks.
The PEDAAT tool identifies high-risk children – leading to fewer attendances at the emergency department and a reduced number who need to stay in hospital.
The system has also earned the regional YOGI Memorial Prize – awarded to trainees and students for their work around quality improvement–and was also runner up in the Innovation award category of the National Medi link UK Health-Care Business Awards.
The Health Service Journal judges said: “An incredibly powerful message sits behind the PEDAAT initiative and the passion behind the project is apparent.
“The patient safety benefits are clear, compelling and well- evidenced and that scaling the project nationally and into adult asthma would be massively beneficial for patient safety, improved experience, and efficiency”.
The work of Dr Katherine Eastham, a Consultant Paediatrician at the Trust was also recognised at the HSJ awards.
Dr Shaz Wahid, medical director at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are extremely proud of the work that has been undertaken and I would like to say congratulations to everyone involved – they thoroughly deserve this recognition.
“It is fantastic to know that our staff are at the forefront of innovation which is improving safety and, hence, outcomes for our patients and also providing examples of good practice for services throughout the country to follow.
“Patient safety is at the heart of all that we do and these awards are a testament to the dedication of our teams to provide even better care.”