We’re celebrating again after winning two prestigious Nursing Times Awards for Team of the Year and Patient Safety Improvement!
The Nursing Times Awards bring together the nursing community to shine a light on the brightest talent in the profession and recognise those making nursing innovative, patient-focused and inclusive.
Two of the top awards in Nursing came during an award-winning week for LSCft while the Trust is still celebrating scooping three awards at the Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards.
Our wonderful Recovery Riders project driven by our Mental Health Nurses based at Ormskirk Hospital, picked up both awards on the night at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane after being shortlisted in four categories, including the HRH The Prince of Wales Award.
The incredible life changing project sees mental health inpatients go for weekly bike rides around the West Lancashire countryside.
The innovative initiative was the brainchild of Healthcare Support Worker David Moss and staff nurse Oliver Field, who recognising the positive impact of cycling on mental health and wellbeing, set about facilitating rides for service users. Supported by nurses on the ward David and his colleagues secured input from Lancashire Police, Unison and Halfords to provide bikes, equipment and clothing. The patient rides see our service users grow in confidence in the fresh air while exercising and aiding their recovery journey.
Judges described our Recovery Riders project as, "a genuine grassroots initiative, which has had a profound impact on service user outcomes."
The Nursing Times judging panel is made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the nursing community including from the Royal College of Nursing and the Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Once again recognised for the Trust’s outstanding contribution to mental health nursing and improvement in patient safety following two of the toughest years of nursing, LSCft continues to champion quality nursing and safe patient centred care amidst the challenges that the health and social care sector is facing.
Consultant Nurse at Ormskirk Lisa Smith said:
“We worked collaboratively to co-produce the Recovery Riders project with our service users and local community providers. Our inpatients tell us they feel empowered riding around the countryside – it’s their project that they own and it makes not only a difference to their mental health but also their physical health.
I’m so proud of all our team at Ormskirk – Recovery Riders aids the sleep of service users and reduces the need for excess medication. They tell us it makes a difference to their lives and recovery.”
Maria Nelligan, Chief Nurse and Quality Officer at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust comments:
“I’m so incredibly proud of our Recovery Riders project and all the nursing team involved in delivering such wonderful person-centred care.
We were thrilled to have two other projects and nurses shortlisted at the awards and we’re committed to improving outcomes for our patients, and to be chosen twice among the other incredible nominees is a wonderful achievement. It’s been an award-winning week for us, combined with our HSJ Patient Safety success, which has been a tremendous boost to our nurses and colleagues across Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and I am sure it will bolster our continued efforts to improve our quality care.”
