NHS Wales recognised at the Advancing Healthcare Awards

The Advancing Healthcare Awards have been running for 17 years and recognise and celebrate the work of allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and other colleagues who have implemented innovative healthcare practices.

The Welsh nominees for this year’s awards include:

• Claire Madsen from Powys Teaching Health Board who has been nominated for the Leadership Award for her work on an all-Wales basis to develop Long COVID services
• Joseph Cox from Powys Teaching Health Board who has been nominated for the Rising Star award for his work in Dietetics
• The Cardiff and Value University Health Board rehabilitation model team who have been nominated for the Welsh Government Award for their rehabilitation model to address health inequalities by optimising health and supporting self-management
• Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Boards Allied Health Professionals team who have also been nominated for the Welsh Government Award for their multi-disciplinary approach to managing swallowing, nutrition and medication in elderly care home residents
• Paul Thomas Lee from Swansea Bay University Health Board for the Leadership in Healthcare Science Award

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan said:

I am really pleased to see the hard work of colleagues from across our Welsh NHS being recognised at these UK-wide awards. The Welsh NHS is constantly finding new innovative ways of working and this is down to the hard work and dedication from those working in our health services. These nominees show that despite the enormous pressure they face every day they are striving to provide the best possible care and health services to the people of Wales.

Joseph Cox, Community and Medicines Management Dietitian for Powys Teaching Health Board said:

It was a great surprise to learn of this nomination, but I am very proud and excited as it is a great feeling to be acknowledged for the part that I have played in the short time that I have been in this role. I am grateful for the support I have received from the wider dietetic department during my first year and a half with the team, and I am very much looking forward to more years with Powys Teaching Health Board and developing with them.

Claire Madsen, Executive Director of Therapies and Health Science for Powys Teaching Health Board said:

I feel very honoured to represent both Powys and Wales at these Awards and to raise the profile of the really important work, undertaken by all Health Boards in Wales, to support people with Long Covid.

Sheiladen Aquino who leads the project at Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB said:

Being shortlisted for this award is an opportunity to showcase how an integrated AHP can promote positive patient experience, improve clinical outcomes, reduce costs and contribute to a greener environment.

This model can be easily replicated to accommodate other AHPs to provide holistic care to some of the most vulnerable in the community. We hope to roll this model out across Wales and integrate other AHPs. This approach is not just for Speech Therapist, Dietitians and Pharmacists, but the likes of Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists can use this model to reduce falls and enhance rehabilitation.

We are proud to represent the many AHP innovations being conducted in Bridgend Community Integrated Services and Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB.

Emma Cooke, Deputy Director of Therapies and Health Science at Cardiff and Vale UHB said:

I am incredibly proud that the Cardiff and Vale UHB Rehabilitation Team have been nominated for the Welsh Government Award at the UK Advanced Healthcare Awards.

The recovery focussed model is significantly shifting the way we work, it creates and delivers co-produced and co-delivered community interventions that meet the needs of the people we care for.

Already, the outcomes and benefits are far-reaching. Since introducing the model, there have been 5,241 reduced visits to acute hospital sites through community-based interventions, 92% of participants strongly recommend the service to friends and family and 85% have reported clinically significant positive changes.

Paul Lee Medical Devices Training Manager, Swansea Bay University Health Board.

It was an honour to be nominated and shortlisted for this national award as it highlights the role and work that healthcare scientist play in the NHS.

This nomination is only possible due to the fantastic support from my manager, Swansea Bay University Health Board and all my colleagues that work in the medical devices and training department.

Fingers crossed for success, but whatever the outcome, it helps to raise the profile and contribution that healthcare scientists make to patient safety and ongoing improvements across the NHS in Wales.

The winners of The Advancing Healthcare Awards 2023 will be announced on the 21st April.