At the double – Trust teams win CCG awards

Two teams from Guy’s and St Thomas’ were winners at last week’s Lammy Awards – organised by NHS Lambeth Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to recognise people who go the extra mile to provide exceptional health and care.

The Trust's patient insight forum – made up of 15 foundation trust members who participate in the mystery shopper and call quality assessor projects – won the Best Use of Patient Experience category.

They give a patient perspective on how we can improve the quality of our services and the experience of patients. The Lammy Awards judges praised their enthusiasm and recognised how this has led to demonstrable improvements to enhance the experience of patients and visitors, particularly at the point of first contact with our services.

Andrea Carney, patient and public engagement manager, says: "We are very proud that the efforts of the patient and public foundation trust members of our patient insight forum have been recognised. It is an excellent example of how the Trust actively involves patients in monitoring the quality of services and driving improvements.” 

Sarah Allen, patient experience manager, agrees: “We really value the perspective that the patient insight forum provides into being a patient making first contact with the Trust.”

The health inclusion team, based at Gracefield Gardens Health Centre in Streatham, won the Putting Patients First category.

This multi-disciplinary team of staff, led by nurse manager Fenella Jolly, provides outreach primary care services to some of the most deprived and vulnerable groups in Lambeth including homeless people, refugees and asylum seekers, people with drug and alcohol addictions, and those living with long-term conditions.

The team works in close partnership with homeless hostels, day centres, youth hostels, substance misuse consortium, mental health trusts, local authorities, and GPs to meet the often complex needs of patients.

Cepta Hamm, head of nursing for adult community services, says: “Congratulations to the health inclusion team whose work with vulnerable Londoners, including people living on our streets, refugees and people with drug and alcohol problems, has been acknowledged.

“It’s fantastic that the team’s dedication to people living in often difficult circumstances in Lambeth has been recognised.”

Breathe Arts Health Research won the Innovation in Lambeth category for its summer camp where youngsters with hemiplegia, a condition which causes weakness on one side of the body, learn magic tricks to strengthen their hand and arm co-ordination.

Breathe Arts also provides England’s largest hospital-based performing arts programme at Guy’s and St Thomas’.

Other Guy’s and St Thomas’ teams shortlisted for the Lammy Awards included:

• Minnie Kidd House nursing team
• Tissue viability specialist nursing team
• Cepta Hamm (head of nursing for adult community services) and Anita Macro (deputy head of nursing for district nursing)
• Children’s allergy outpatient team (based at St Thomas’ Hospital)
• Burrell Street sexual health clinic
• Heather Campbell (community neuro-rehabilitation clinical lead).