Children’s Observation Hub shortlisted in two categories for the 2024 HSJ Patient Safety Awards

Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership and Conexus Healthcare CIC are delighted to announce that the Children’s Observation Hub has been shortlisted twice in the Improving Care for Children and Young People Initiative of the Year and the Primary Care Initiative of the Year categories at this year’s HSJ Patient Safety Awards which recognises safety, culture and positive experience in patient care, celebrating its worthy finalists on a national scale.

The HSJ Patient Safety Awards acknowledges the hard-working teams and individuals across the UK who are continually striving to deliver improved patient care.  Following the thorough judging process, the Children’s Observation Hub was included in the 206 organisations, projects and individuals that made the final shortlist among 415 entries logged for the 2024 awards programme.

The Children’s Observation Hub is a collaboration between primary and secondary care, aimed at reducing high levels of paediatric A&E attendance across the Wakefield District. The development of a community-based hub, offering virtual and face to face observation and an innovative day pass approach, provided parents of ill children aged 3 months to 16 years, with clinical advice, treatment, and reassurance as an alternative to A&E over winter 2023/24. In just six months, the Hub provided care and support to 2,518 children and their families, with 2,559 contacts made in total.

Following the successful winter pilot, the Children’s Observation Hub is returning from July 2024 to assess and observe children aged three months to 16 years with ‘amber’ respiratory, fever or gastroenteritis.

Jenny Lingrell, Service Director, Children’s Health and Wellbeing, Wakefield Council said:

It’s well known within our sector that the HSJ awards programme is a high profile and hugely respected platform to showcase the work and achievements of the many healthcare professionals who enter, and we’re delighted to have been recognised on this prestigious shortlist for a 2024 Patient Safety Award. We hope our entry might also inspire other colleagues to consider submitting their projects, too!

Dr Omar Alisha, Clinical Director at Conexus Healthcare said:

Being nominated for this award is fantastic but the success of the Children’s Observation Hub is only testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff who put time and effort into ensuring that we delivered a service which met the needs of the parents and children of Wakefield.

The Awards are a highlight of the HSJ’s annual two-day Patient Safety Congress (taking place on 16 and 17 September), where delegates working at the forefront of safety, quality and clinical excellence come together to join in on open and honest discussions about the current reality of safety.

The full list of finalists for the 2024 HSJ Patient Safety Awards can be found at https://awards.patientsafetycongress.co.uk/shortlist-2024.

Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Manchester Central, on 16 September 2024.