Teams and individuals across North East and Yorkshire have been named as regional champions in the first NHS Excellence Awards, recognising work that is improving care for patients and communities. The NHS Excellence Awards are the only awards run by, and for, the NHS. They recognise, celebrate and share innovative work taking place across health and care.

The awards shine a light on local teams, projects and individuals who are driving improvements, with the aim of sharing learning and inspiring others to adopt successful approaches in their own areas.

Among the regional champions recognised is the Wakefield Family Nurse Partnership Team, delivered by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, whose innovative and data-driven approach to improving health outcomes for young parents has led to smoke-free homes, better immunisation rates and reduced unplanned pregnancies.

Holderness Health’s Gold Team approach to improving palliative and end of life care in general practice has strengthened continuity and communication for patients and families, introducing rapid‑access support and proactive GP contact, cutting call waits to under a minute and earning praise from partners and carers.

The North East and North Cumbria Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub is recognised for its outstanding commitment to valuing their health and social care workforce – creating a rapid, barrier-free mental health support.

Meanwhile, the Marie Curie Responsive Emergency Assessment and Community Team (REACT) in Bradford is recognised for their pioneering partnership in delivering acute, high-quality palliative care. By identifying patients at the end of life in crisis at the Emergency Department and providing rapid community support, they have reduced the average length of stay for this patient cohort and saved over 20,000 bed days.

The full list of regional champions for the North East and Yorkshire is

• Digital innovation – Virtual Wards in Secure Environments – Spectrum Community Health CIC.
• Delivering Value – Transforming Same Day Urgent Care and Winter Services across North Yorkshire – Nimbuscare.
• Improving Health Outcomes – Wakefield Family Nurse Partnership Team – Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust.
• Leadership – Lucy Elkiss – Lead Project Nurse at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
• Neighbourhood Health – Safety Hub – Bishop Auckland – Rethink Mental Health.
• Patient Involvement and choice – Gleadless and Heeley Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre project – Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
• Quality Improvement – Gold Team Approach to Improving Palliative and End of Life Care in General Practice – Holderness Health.
• Sustainable Healthcare – Reusable Surgical Hats, Recycling Frayed Shirts and Second Hand Linen – North Cumbria Integrated Care.
• Valuing our people – North East and North Cumbria Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub – North East and North Cumbria ICB, and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.
• Working in partnership – Marie Curie Responsive Emergency Assessment and Community Team (REACT) – Marie Curie Hospice, Bradford.

These regional champions have been recognised by regional panels for their innovative and collaborative work in their local areas, highlighting digital projects, quality improvement initiatives and examples of excellent leadership.

Fiona Edwards, Regional Director, North East and Yorkshire region, said: “I congratulate the regional winners recognised in this year’s Excellence Awards who exemplify the best of what the NHS and its partners do day in, day out. The commitment, dedication and care shown to our patients and service users is inspiring and a credit to everyone involved.”

Dr Hamish McLure, Regional Medical Director for NHS North East and Yorkshire, said: “Picking our finalists from the hundreds of high-quality nominations we received from all across North East and Yorkshire was incredibly difficult, so all of those who are going forward to the national ceremony should be extremely proud of their achievement. Congratulations for getting this far.”

Regional champions from across England will now form the shortlist from which national winners will be selected. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester in June.

• More information can be found at england.nhs.uk/nhsawards