The Trust's Cauldwell Medical Centre, in collaboration with additional ELFT's primary care teams, has been shortlisted for the renowned Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards 2023. This noteworthy recognition underscores their commitment to delivering exceptional patient care initiatives.
The collaborative QI project, 'Reducing Health Inequity Through Cervical Screening in Primary Care', has been instrumental in addressing health disparities within the Bedford community. By employing the ELFT quality improvement method, a cornerstone of ELFT's healthcare approach, the teams were able to boost cervical screening uptake in a targeted population of women aged between 25 and 64.
The project's success was driven by the implementation and testing of innovative ideas, informed by meticulous data analysis. These strategies included re-writing and translating the practice invitation to a screening letter, providing self-booking invitations, undertaking a data cleanse, and training the full nursing team and ACPs in cytology. Each of these steps encouraged cervical screening uptake and significantly contributed to the broader fight against cervical cancer.
Shortlisted for the Primary Care Initiative of the Year award, this project stands as a testament to the patient-led ethos at the heart of ELFT's operations. "Our team has truly gone the extra mile," said Dr. Mohit Venkataram, Executive Director of Primary Care at ELFT. "This nomination reflects our unyielding commitment to Quality Improvement, collaboration, and, above all, patient care. We are particularly proud of this patient-led project and its impact on our services."
Representing the team in the upcoming virtual presentations from July 24-31 will be Lead Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Cauldwell and Quality and Compliance Lead for the ELFT Primary Care Directorate, under the leadership of a local resident registered at Cauldwell and member of the People Participation Group (PPG).
The HSJ Patient Safety Awards, a renowned event in the health sector calendar, shines a spotlight on the best patient safety initiatives across the country. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Manchester Central on 18 September 2023.
