Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for a leading healthcare award.
It is one of nine trusts to be nominated in the Acute or Specialist Trust of the Year category at the HSJ Awards 2021, recognising their outstanding contribution to healthcare in what has been an exceptional and challenging period across the sector.
Despite the demanding circumstances of the past 18 months, more than 1,000 entries have been received for this year’s HSJ Awards, with 205 organisations, projects and individuals making it to the final shortlist. The volume and standards of applications has been a true testament to those health and social care staff, who continue to push outstanding work and transformational projects across the sector.
The judging panel was once again made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, including Sir Bruce Keogh (Chair, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s FT); Marie Gabriel CBE (Chair, NHS Race and Health Observatory); and former HSJ Trust of the Year winners Ann Marr OBE (Chief Executive, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals Trust) and Richard Mitchell (Chief Executive, Sherwood Forest Hospitals FT).
Following the intense and in-depth judging process, Royal Papworth Hospital was shortlisted, ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held later this year on Thursday 18 November. Standing out amongst tough competition from hundreds of other exemplary applicants, Royal Papworth was selected based on ambition, visionary spirit and the demonstrable positive impact that it has had on both patient and staff experience.
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Royal Papworth Hospital has supported partner hospitals across the East of England and parts of London, in addition to providing national expertise as part of the Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service as one of only five centres in England. Staff have used their learnings, expertise and compassion to deliver outstanding outcomes not just for Royal Papworth Hospital patients but, by supporting other hospitals through initatives such as providing consultants to other hospitals in need, improved outcomes across the East and beyond.
HSJ Awards 2021 - We are proud to be a finalist. Acute or Specialist Trust of the Year.
Responding to two surges in critical care capacity – expanding the unit each time by 200% - as well as a third wave this summer, patients have been transferred from their local hospital to Royal Papworth for specialist respiratory support, including establishing an acute respiratory care unit on New Year’s Eve 2020 when a major incident was declared in the region as a result of steeply rising demand for critical care and oxygen supplies. The ECMO team twice scaled-up to levels never seen before, with a 600% increase in ECMO beds in January 2021.
This has been achieved against a backdrop of recovering elective services, rolling-out a mass vaccination programme, continuing with world-class research and managing a sustained increase in urgent and emergency activity, as well as performing 39 heart transplants and 17 lung transplants.
Stephen Posey, Chief Executive, said: “Being shortlisted for this prestigious award is testament to all of our staff for their extraordinary commitment and the outstanding care they provide to our patients every day. They have tirelessly supported each other and our colleagues across the region and beyond to improve outcomes for patients with coronavirus and those in hospital for the traditional heart and lung conditions we treat. This news will provide a huge morale boost for our staff as we begin our winter preparations.
“We are delighted to be nominated alongside eight other great Trusts and we wish everyone who is nominated across all categories the best of luck with the judging process.”
HSJ editor Alistair McLellan, added: “On behalf of all my colleagues, I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on being nominated in the category of Acute or Specialist Trust of the Year in this year’s HSJ Awards. The applications we receive always present our panel of judges with a very difficult task as the standard is unfailingly high and the breadth of innovation and passion for patient care is always so inspiring.
“This year, we really have been overwhelmed with the level of entries, particularly when set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the huge challenges faced by our health and social care workforce.
“We are therefore looking forward to welcoming all our finalists to the live ceremony in November and joining us in celebrating their incredible achievements and commitment to excellence.”
Full list of nominees for the HSJ Awards 2021.
The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Evolution, London on 18 November 2021.