The NHS in the North West has today revealed the ten individuals and teams it has chosen as regional champions for the prestigious NHS Parliamentary Awards, supported by Fuji Film to celebrate outstanding health and care staff helping patients as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

The regional champions will now go head to head with other winners from across the country for a national award to be presented at a special ceremony in the House of Commons on the 10 July.

Hundreds of examples of staff who go above and beyond the call of duty including doctors, support workers and volunteers make a genuine difference to the people they care for were nominated by their MPs.

Launched in March, the NHS called on MPs to find and nominate those individuals or teams they thought have made the biggest improvements to health and care services in their constituencies across ten categories.

England’s top nurse and leading the national awards ceremony this year, Ruth May, said:

“A huge congratulations to all those who have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to the NHS as well as making a genuine difference to the patients they care for. It will be a tough task selecting our overall winners – I look forward to hearing more about their fantastic achievements and celebrating with them all at the national award ceremony.”

The ten regional champions selected by an expert panel are:

• The Excellence in Mental Health Care Award (Sponsored by the Premier League): The Life Rooms – Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
• The Excellence in Health Care Award: Bury Integrated Community Cardiology Pilot
• The Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care Award: The Digital Health Service – Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
• The Excellence in Primary Care Award: Dr Abdul Hafeez – Al-Fal Medical Group
• The Future NHS Award (Sponsored by Fuji Film): Next Step Cards – Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• The Volunteer of the Year Award: Aintree University Hospital Volunteers
• The Care and Compassion Award: Stephanie John – Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• The Health Equalities Award: LMCP
• Wellbeing at Work Award: Hate Crime Strategy Leadership Team – Secure Services at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust – led by Bryan Dalgleigh-Warburton and Bhavna Parmar
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Andy Styring, Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

David Levy, NHS England and NHS Improvement North West Medical Director said: “I was impressed by the high standard of all entries from North West this year and choosing between the dozens of champions who all go above and beyond, to go forward and represent our region, has been incredibly difficult. I wish our champions the best of luck in the national heats and will be rooting for them on the day.”

All of the champions will now be invited to the national awards ceremony for the final stage of judging by a panel of health and care leaders. The ceremony will be held on 10 July at the House of Commons and hosted by Dr Sarah Wollaston, Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee with a special performance from the NHS Choir.

The NHS Parliamentary Awards, supported by FUJI FILM, recognise the massive contribution made by the individuals who work in and alongside the NHS.

For quotes from the North West regional winners, please see below:

Michael Crilly, Director of Social Inclusion and Participation at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We are delighted that Mersey Care’s Life Rooms social model of health has been recognised within this year’s NHS Parliamentary Awards and in particular that it has been shortlisted within the Excellence in Mental Health category.

We launched our Life Rooms service more than three years ago as a direct response to the lived experience of our service users and their day-to-day battles with the many social inequalities surrounding their mental health status. All too often it is these factors that have the greatest negative impact on the chance of recovery. In the Life Rooms we seek to address the social determinants of mental distress by building empowered, health-creating communities. Through our social and community focussed approach we can now break down traditional barriers in the way primary and secondary mental health services are delivered.

It is a single point of pride to us that from conception, through to delivery and evaluation, our Life Rooms model has been an authentic journey of co-production now capable of re-engineering not only how care in our area is delivered but also how it is experienced”

Tim Gray, Interim Divisional Clinical Director, Bury and Rochdale Care Organisation said:

“I’m very proud to be part of a wide team of dedicated and caring professionals working together to improve services and make life better for people with cardiovascular diseases in Bury. We know that our sickest patients are seen more quickly and by the best person, and we have received excellent feedback about the changes we have made to the local healthcare system, which is very rewarding. All the partners feel honoured to be nominated for this award.”

Trish Cavanagh, Chief Executive of Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We are delighted to have been chosen as the Regional Winner in The Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care Award category of the NHS Parliamentary Awards for our Digital Health Service.

“Our Digital Health service has demonstrated how the use of technology in health care can contribute significantly to patients’ experience of accessing NHS services.

“To be selected as the regional winner out of almost 600 nominations is a fantastic achievement and we are delighted to have been shortlisted for consideration as the national winner.”

Dr Abdul Hafeez, Al-Fal Medical Group said:

“We are very pleased to receive one of the most prestigious awards in the NHS. Our patients are at the heart of everything we do at Al Fal Medical Group”

Dr Fiona Pender, Consultant Psychiatrist at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:

“I am absolutely delighted to see the work of young people, families and clinicians honoured in this way. Created by mental health experts and local young people, Next Step Cards is a tool to enable safe and structured conversations with young people who may be struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing. This resource takes mental health support out of the clinic and into school and community settings”.

Gail Bruen, Volunteer Manager at Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said:

“I am so very proud of this amazing group of volunteers who give up their time freely to offer endless comfort and support to dying patients and their families at Aintree. The sharing of their good practice across NHS organisations since 2012 has led to a significant enrichment in end of life care”.

Stephanie John, Clinical Support Worker at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:

“It’s such a surprise to win the regional award and be shortlisted in the national category. Knowing I made such a positive difference to someone’s life is something that will stay with me, and I’m so lucky to be in a career where making those differences is a part of my day-to-day.”

George Devlin, Chair of LMCP Care Link said:

“We are delighted that LMCP Care Link have been shortlisted for the National Equalities Award and the recognition of the quality work done by our staff and volunteers.

“We see this as valuing our community based approach to engaging and empowering individuals and families from South Asian Communities to take more control of their lives and our commitment to improving equality, health and well-being.

“We are looking forward to attending the National Event on the 10th July as the regional winners of the award.”

Dr Andy Styring, Director of Operations at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said:

“I am delighted to receive this award which I accept on behalf of all individuals who support people with learning disabilities and mental health problems. I have worked all my career to empower people to live independent lives through choice and involvement, ensuring people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. I hope this award helps to raise awareness of the importance of helping all people to be the best they can be.”