University Hospitals Dorset wins trio of patient experience awards
University Hospitals Dorset’s (UHD) outpatient assessment clinic has picked up three accolades at the 2022 Patient Experience Network National Awards ceremony.
Outpatient Assessment Clinic (OAC), based in Poole’s Dolphin Shopping Centre, won in the following three categories: ‘Partnership working to improve the experience’, ‘Integration and improving social care’, and ‘Integration and continuity of care’.
The clinic opened last year in response to long waiting lists caused by the pandemic and is helping to reduce waiting times and increase the accessibility to life-saving screening. It is one of a number of clinics across the county that make up the Dorset Health Village – the other in South Walks House, Dorchester – and together they give patients the opportunity to also access free health and wellbeing support from LiveWell and Active Dorset in a community setting.
Since opening, as well as delivering thousands of Covid vaccinations, the clinics have seen over 10,000 patients, have had great feedback from patients, and received a number of high profile visits to see how the model could be adopted elsewhere across the country, including from Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS.
Jonathan Wright, head of patient access for UHD, said: “It has been a huge privilege to represent the Outpatient Assessment Clinic’s ‘Think Big’ team at the Patient Experience Network National Awards this year and it is absolutely amazing that the team, the trusts involved, including Dorset Country Hospital along with UHD, and the Dorset ICS have been recognised for their achievements for innovation in elective recovery.
This initiative has made a big impact on seeing patients sooner and progressing them through their pathways, and patients have fedback that their experiences have been very good.
I am extremely proud to have presented our initiative, learning, outcomes and patient feedback at the awards, and was overwhelmed by the interest in our project. It was amazing to take home three awards on the day, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team, staff, volunteers, partners and patients for their contributions and dedication to thinking differently.”
The Patient Experience Network National Awards are the first and only awards programme to recognise best practice in patient experience across all facets of health and social care in the UK. The network celebrated its 12th year of national award celebrations, with the ceremony held at the University of Birmingham on Wednesday 28 September.
To watch a BBC South Today report on the opening of the clinic, along with patients' first impressions, head here.
Jonathan Wright, UHD's head of patient access, at the award ceremony
The Outpatient Assessment Clinic is based in Poole's Dolphin Shopping Centre
UHD and Bournemouth Uni explore nutritional care for patients
A collaborative project between University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) and Bournemouth University (BU) has explored how to optimise nutritional care for patients while they are in hospital.
Good nutritional care is fundamental to patient recovery and in reducing complications associated with malnutrition (undernutrition). Approximately 34% of individuals aged 65 and over who are admitted to hospital are at risk or are already suffering from malnutrition.
However, providing optimum hydration and appropriate mealtime support for patients who need it is often met with many challenges for staff with competing clinical tasks in a pressurised acute clinical environment.
The research project was part of a PhD studentship, jointly funded by UHD and BU, to explore how organisational culture may influence optimal food and nutritional care.
Gladys Yinusa, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in BU’s Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC), who led the study, said: “Good food and nutritional care are fundamental to patient-centred care. Hospital staff and the organisational systems in which they work have a vital role to play in ensuring patients’ nutritional needs are met.”
The research project brought together a multidisciplinary action research team comprising both clinical and non-clinical staff, including mealtime volunteers and hospital governor representatives. The experiences of recently discharged patients and their relatives were also collected in the form of stories.
“The patients' and relatives' views offered remarkable insights, highlighting areas of practice change,” said Gladys.
“These insights contributed to the team’s collective decision to prioritise areas for improvement in ward practice during mealtimes. In particular, critical findings from this study revealed that organisational culture does matter and plays a significant role in providing food and nutritional care in hospitals.”
The project led to prioritising changes in ward practices during mealtimes. These focused on embedding mealtime companions as part of the ward team and implementing a colour-coded system to identify patients who need assistance with feeding. The research showed that mealtime companions played a significant role in supporting patients during mealtimes, but the volunteer service was not being used to its full benefit.
Gráinne Ford, UHD therapy lead for dietetics, was also part of the study team.
She said: “Good nutritional care is a vital part of delivering a quality service to our patients and to recovery and wellbeing at all stages. I feel it’s important to explore this through research in order to raise awareness and understanding of malnutrition in the acute setting and to advance the nutritional care of patients and those at risk from malnutrition.
“Exploring organisational culture and its effects on nutritional care of our patients is so important to help us achieve improvements in quality of care, patient experience and patient safety. Collaborative working with our partners at BU has brought research to the frontline to explore one of our most difficult problems.”
The PhD project was supervised by Gráinne Ford (University Hospital Dorset) and Dr Janet Scammell, Professor Jane Murphy, and Dr Sue Baron (Bournemouth University).
National recognition for Our Dorset health professionals at innovation awards
Dorset's integrated care system (ICS), Our Dorset, has been shortlisted for its Dorset Innovation Hub in the 'Innovative Health System of the Year' category of the Innovate Awards.
Dorset Innovation Hub (DIH) is one of 4 Health Foundation innovation hubs, hosted by University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) overseen by partners across Dorset. Its vision is to establish the conditions to facilitate and sustain innovation adoption across the Dorset ICS for the benefit of our patients and service users. The Hub draws on partner experience and expertise to focus on the adaptation of innovation to the local context, using patient and public involvement and co-production principles to ensure that the process takes account of and is sensitive to the needs of patients, staff, existing culture and working practices.
The Innovate Awards is a collaboration between the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), which operates as the innovation arm of the NHS in England and acts as the collective voice of the 15 academic health science networks, and the NHS Confederation, the membership body which represents healthcare in the UK. They celebrate excellence in innovation in health and care, showcasing those teams, organisations and health and care systems leading the way in positive change.
The 'Innovative Health System of the Year' category recognises health and care systems where a culture of innovation is the bedrock of how things are delivered. It celebrates ICSs with the culture, capability and track record of adopting and spreading innovation at scale.
Commenting on the news, Dr Alan Betts, chair of the Dorset Innovation Hub programme group and director of improvement and integration at University Hospitals Dorset, said:
"To be a finalist is really great recognition of the leadership, vision, team work, hard work and passion for innovation in Dorset.
"It's a fantastic tribute to what can be achieved when everyone gets to use their strengths."
The Innovate Awards ceremony takes place at Leonardo Royal Hotel, London Tower Bridge on 29 September - you can read more about the event at www.innovatehealthcareawards.co.uk.
More information on the Dorset Innovation Hub can be found here: www.ourdorset.org.uk/innovation/about/.
Her Majesty the Queen
We are very saddened to hear the news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen.
Her life of devotion and service has been an example to us all. We were very honoured when she awarded NHS staff the George Cross for compassion and courage throughout the pandemic.
We have very fond memories of her opening Poole Hospital on 11 July 1969.
Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.
Sign up now for Walk for Wards
Join University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity for a fun-filled day at their biggest event of the year on Saturday 17 September in the stunning historic grounds of Upton Country Park.
Participants will once again raise money for local hospitals by taking part in a 3km, 5km or 10km sponsored walk for a ward or department close to their hearts.
Karen Allman, chief people officer at University Hospitals Dorset said
“Following the last two years this is a great opportunity to support your local hospitals and NHS staff by walking to raise money for the hospital charity. I will be attending with colleagues and am looking forward to another great event”
Upton Country Park and House will serve as a stunning backdrop to the day. After the walk, participants will be treated to a free gourmet burger courtesy of Rapid Relief UK as well as plenty of entertainment with live funk and soul music from hospital band, The Late Shift, a live performance from the UK’s award winning local contemporary choir, The Rock Choir.
The event also offers the opportunity to support local crafters with a local-makers market of over 20 stalls selling unique hand-made gifts and plants.
For families there will be balloon art, face painting, ice cream and our own Gully Bear will be making a special appearance.
You can even bring your dogs along for this truly family friendly day out.
In 2021, 250 people came together to celebrate our local Hospitals at Walk for Wards, raising over £12,700. Perhaps you have a loved one undergoing treatment, a personal experience of receiving care at our hospitals or want to say thank you to NHS heroes who’ve gone above and beyond to deliver exceptional care - whatever inspires you to get out and walk for our wards, we can’t wait to welcome you all.
All three of our routes are accessible for all ages and abilities.
Tickets cost £15 for adults, £10 for children and under 5s go free. Take advantage of our family ticket offer and register two adults and up to four children for just £40.
Every participant will be automatically entered into our prize draw for a hamper of hand-made gifts kindly donated by our stall holders.
Register today at https://uhdcharity.enthuse.com/cf/walk-for-wards-2022
Walk for Wards 2022 is sponsored by Coles Miller Solicitors.
