Local Trust win learning disability title at national awards

Nurses who go the extra mile at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust have been celebrated as winners at the 2022 Nursing Times Awards.

The glitzy awards took place last night (Wednesday 26 October) at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London, to shine a light on the brightest talent.

The night saw a collection of deserving winners in the profession and recognised those who make nursing innovative, patient-focused, and inclusive.

Winning the title of Learning Disabilities Nursing Award was the Trust's eight-week surgical pathway which collaboratively developed across the Trust, alongside people with lived experience. The pathway aims to ensure that patients with a learning disability are offered timely surgical intervention when required and to provide patients with improved outcomes and an excellent experience.

The judges were impressed with the commitment to prioritise people with learning disabilities who required surgery which aims to improve life expectancy, has reduced waiting times and improved overall patient experience for individuals with a learning disability.

Richard Bunn, Safeguarding Matron for Complex Needs commented:

“We are really pleased that the Nursing Times Awards has recognised us as their winners for this year’s Learning Disabilities Nursing Award.

“As a team, we knew it was important for us to ensure the fair treatment of all and offer people with learning disabilities reasonable adjustments for their appointment or any potential theatre listing. People with a learning disability are twice as likely to die from avoidable causes and this pathway aims to change this by putting the needs of people with a learning disability higher on the organisation’s agenda’’

“We are proud our work is keeping people safe, independent and, most importantly, pain free, with the recognition of this award being a bonus!”

Besides improving the patient experience when admitted to the Trust for surgical care, this pathway also benefits Trust colleagues who have greater levels of satisfaction knowing they are supporting people with learning disabilities to continue to live a full life.

Len Richards, Chief Executive at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“I am so proud of our colleagues who were part of this award-winning surgical pathway. The Nursing Times is a prestigious award, and it is an honour for our Trust to be recognised for the hard work they have done.”

To read more about the eight-week surgical pathway, please visit: www.midyorks.nhs.uk

Pictured from Mid Yorks, from left to right, alongside presenter: Neil Brown (Deputy Director of Operations for Surgery), Rebecca Saville (Assistant Director of Nursing for the Division of Surgery) and Richard Bunn (Safeguarding Matron for Complex Needs).