East of England regional champions announced for national Parliamentary awards
NHS England has today announced the 10 outstanding healthcare initiatives in the East of England that have been nominated by the region’s MPs for national recognition in the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2024
First launched in 2018 to celebrate the NHS’s 70th birthday, the awards recognise the outstanding contribution of staff, volunteers and others working in the health and care sector.
Initiatives nominated include Ron Ridge, for his voluntary work as a community first responder for the East of England Ambulance Service; Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s innovative mental health urgent care department; and Helen Jackson, a perinatal nurse specialist at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust for her work caring for people with trauma in Suffolk.
These regional champions will now go forward to the final stage of the awards, with the winners in each of the 10 categories being announced on Monday 14 October 2024.
Clare Panniker, regional director for the NHS in the East of England said: “Our 10 regional champions represent the very best of what the NHS does across so many areas of healthcare, from teams looking after people with mental health problems in Basildon, to many years of outstanding voluntary work as a community first responder for the East of England Ambulance Service.
“I would like to congratulate our healthcare champions, thank them and their organisations for the excellent work they have done for patients in the East of England, and wish them good luck in next month’s national awards.”
In total, there are 10 award categories this year which cover exceptional care and health innovation right across the breadth of healthcare services, as well as acknowledging the inspiring individual contributions of staff, including through the Lifetime Achievement Award which celebrates those who have worked in the NHS for 40 years or more.
Following the first stage of the competition where MPs nominated healthcare teams and individuals in their local area, NHS England regions put forward one regional champion in each category to go forward to the national shortlist round of the awards.
A panel of national judges – made up of notable figures across the healthcare sector – will now come together to select the winners of this year’s awards.
These winners will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place on Monday 14 October 2024 – when healthcare leaders, finalists, and new and returning MPs will come together to celebrate the immense contribution which healthcare staff make to the NHS.
Additional information
The regional champions for the East of England are:
| Award category | Regional champion |
| Excellence in healthcare | Fenland dementia friendly communities |
| Nursing and Midwifery | Helen Jackson, perinatal nurse, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust |
| Excellence in urgent and emergency care | Basildon mental health urgent care department, Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust |
| Excellence in mental health care | Ask me how I am – Fullscope in partnership with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB |
| Health equalities | Thistlemoor medical centre, using population health to understand and support frequent attenders |
| Excellence in education and training award | Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn for their patient experience education programme. |
| Future NHS | Arrhythmia nursing team, Essex cardiothoracic centre, Mid and South Essex Foundation NHS Trust |
| Excellence in primary care and community care award | University of Suffolk community interest company – helping to provide dental services in Suffolk and North East Essex |
| Volunteer award | Ron Ridge, community first responder, East of England Ambulance Service |
| Lifetime achievement award | Lynn Rodrigues, chief nurse at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough integrated care system |