The second annual ‘Celebrating Primary Care Achievements’ awards, held on 6 November, showcased our local NHS primary care services.
‘Primary care’ services are usually the first point of contact in the healthcare system, acting as the ‘front door’ of the NHS. They include the services run by general practices, local pharmacies, dentists and optometry (eye health) services.
Nearly 70 nominations were made, highlighting projects, teams and individuals across nine categories. Groups of neighbouring GP practices working together, called ‘Primary Care Networks’ or PCNs for short, were well represented amongst the winning nominations.
Included in the winners were:
- Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell PCN’s who won for setting up a central “care home hub”. Local care home residents now get better care and follow-up after a hospital admission, which makes it less likely they will need to be readmitted to hospital.
- Stockwell Lodge medical centre in Cheshunt were recognised for their excellence in supporting staff health and wellbeing, with their ‘wellbeing week’ to improve staff morale.
- Hitchin and Whitwell PCN and their carers café team for their “absolutely fabulous initiative” supporting the “invaluable contribution carers make to health and social care”.
- Hertsmere Cancer Screening initiative for its work to tackle health inequalities by targeting people who have struggled to attend cancer screening and support them to get the benefits of these tests and screenings.
All of these initiatives and the great things they have achieved for patients were presented at the awards ceremony, giving the opportunity for some great learning across primary care.
This year a new category was added for excellence in patient engagement. The award went to Stevenage South PCN Patient Participation Group, a small group of patients from the five surgeries in the area who have worked together to ensure that patients’ views are heard, and collaborate with their practices to deliver training programmes and events that improve the health and wellbeing of their community.
Dr Jane Halpin, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, praised the nominees and all those who work in primary care: “I want to say a huge thank you to every member of the primary care workforce, without whom we would not be providing high-quality primary care services for our population. The increasing need for health services in our communities means it has been an extremely challenging year, and each member of the workforce has stepped up to the challenge and shown what it takes to truly work together as a team.
“The awards ceremony has allowed us to see the impact of passionate staff members and patient groups, and the difference it makes for patients, families, communities and primary care staff. The judges had an unbelievably difficult job deciding on the winners.
“It was fantastic to see a real showing of unity and positivity in the ceremony, and our congratulations to everyone. It makes us so proud.”
Categories and winners
- Excellence in Supporting Staff Health and Wellbeing: Stockwell Lodge Medical Centre Management Team (Cheshunt)
- Excellence in Training and Development: Attenborough Surgery (Bushey)
- Excellence in Patient Engagement: Stevenage South PCN Patient Participation Group
- Excellence in Integration and Collaboration: Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell PCN – Centralised Care Home Hub and Hitchin and Whitwell PCN Carers’ Cafe Team
- Leaders in Innovation: Hertsmere Cancer Screening Initiative
- Ophthalmic Service of the Year: Hertford Optometry
- Dental Practice of the Year: Watford Blue Cross Dental Care Team
- General Practice of the Year: Much Hadham Health Centre
- Primary Care Network of the Year: Hitchin and Whitwell PCN
View the 90-minute ceremony held on Microsoft Teams.