Good idea wins award
16 November 2005
Chelsea and Westminster’s 1,000 Good Ideas Campaign has won a prestigious Health Service Journal Award which recognises innovation and improvements in the NHS.
Chelsea and Westminster’s 1,000 Good Ideas Campaign has won a prestigious Health Service Journal Award which recognises innovation and improvements in the NHS.
Chief Executive Heather Lawrence and Director of Nursing Andrew MacCallum were amongst a team of staff who attended a glittering ceremony on 14 November at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane. They were presented the award by satirist and impressionist Rory Bremner and Ron Finlay Chief Executive of PR company Fishburn Hedges in the presence of Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt.
Chief Executive Heather Lawrence said: “We are delighted to receive the award for this campaign which has helped us bring about real improvements to services for our patients and a better working environment for our staff.”
The Good Ideas Campaign was launched in September 2004 to get patients, staff and visitors involved in generating ideas to drive forward improvements in services.
A number of initiatives were launched including an ‘ideas postcard’ sent to every member of staff with their payslip, posters advertising the campaign, an ideas scribble board was placed at the hospital entrance, and an ideas telephone hotline and email were established. A range of staff and patients focus groups were also conducted.
Some of the good ideas followed through are a hospital deep cleaning programme, sign directories beside and inside lifts and the hospital’s website.
Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Health, said: “Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust have proved themselves to be right at the forefront of the transformation taking place in the health service and they fully deserve their awards.”
Nick Edwards, editor of HSJ, added: “Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust are helping to lead the way in implementing new ideas and ways of working in the health service, and they have beaten off very stiff competition to win their accolades. Their work has made a real difference to the standard of healthcare provided to patients.”