Published on: 26 November 2021
A service which ensured cardiac patients continued to recover during the coronavirus crisis and an invention to give swift treatment for one of the most common injuries have become award winners.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust took two titles in this year’s Bright Ideas in Health Awards, scooping a cash prize and expert support to progress their ideas even further.
In the Celebrating Innovation Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic category, the winner was the Trust’s team who led digitally enhanced cardiac rehabilitation.
This saw a redesign of the service as it offered virtual consultations and monitoring, ensuring patients continued on the road to recovery while they stayed safe at home.
The Trust was also hailed the winner in the Development of an Innovative Device or Technology category for its Shoulder Reduction Assistance Device.
It was created by Sunderland Royal Hospital Emergency Medicine Consultants Dr Ala Mohammed and Dr Philip Dowson using an adapted preacher bench, a piece of gym kit, to safely and quickly treat patients with a dislocated shoulder.
It has reduced the number of patients who need to be sedated and shortened the length of time they need to spend in hospital, with the invention lined up for other hospitals to commission.
Three other projects within the Trust were also nominated, with Limb Reconstruction Physiotherapist Dawn Lockey nominated in the Innovation Champion Award, COLO-Cohort which has adapted colorectal cancer research to the pandemic in the running in the Research Impact Award section and the Headache Interactive DIary app (HEIDI) shortlisted for the Digital Innovation in Health and Social Care award.
The Trust’s Chief Executive Ken Bremner MBE said: “We are so very proud of our teams who were nominated for these awards and indeed our winners.
“It is testament to their hard work and drive to develop the care we offer to patients which has turned these ideas into reality and keeps us at the forefront of innovation in the NHS.
“As a Trust, we put a real focus on supporting continuous improvement through research and innovation and our shortlisted entries show the breadth of areas where we are working to make changes for the better.
“The pandemic has, in many ways, driven innovation at a pace and scale like never before and it is vital that we all keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible and making improvements for the benefit of patient care.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in the awards, they show just how our region is at the forefront of brilliant ideas across healthcare.”
Now in its 17th year and back following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the celebration is organised by the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and Cumbria (AHSN NENC) to champion the scores of innovators across the region.
Held virtually, last night’s ceremony brought together people from across the NHS, universities and industry to highlight the projects making a real difference in healthcare, with 10 categories in total.
Dr Nicola Hutchinson is Chief Executive Officer at the AHSN NENC, which will now work with the winners to progress their ideas.
She said: “Congratulations to all our winners this year and to each finalist – every bright idea was worthy of an award. Despite not being able to celebrate together in person, the shared passion and commitment to health innovation for the benefit of patients was still very much felt during the ceremony.
“The AHSN NENC is immensely proud to support the Bright Ideas in Health Awards which showcase just how embedded innovation is within so many organisations across the region. We’re looking forward to supporting this year’s winning innovators and to see the difference their ideas will make to patient care in future.”
Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, chair designate of the Integrated Care Board for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System, said: “Innovation is vital to the future of our health and care system. This year’s Bright Ideas in Health Awards has certainly demonstrated the wealth of talent, expertise and passion that exists in the North East and North Cumbria, which has been especially important during the pandemic.
“We’re delighted to be main sponsor of the awards and have been impressed by the sheer scale of work happening by individuals and teams to create and drive through new solutions and ways of working to benefit the people in our care across the region.
“Congratulations to all the winners and runners up and to everyone who has participated, they have certainly risen to the challenge of developing innovative solutions for the challenges we face today and in the future.”
