The Lincolnshire Stroke Service has been crowned winners of a national award which recognises quality improvements in how services are delivered to patients.
The team scooped the accolade in the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) Awards 2021 in the Innovation and Delivery of Systems category where they were commended by judges for their determination to come together across health organisations to improve patient care and their experiences when accessing the service.
The Lincolnshire Stroke Service is a collaborative healthcare service run by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT). ULHT is responsible for providing medical care in hospital to patients in the first stages when they have experienced a stroke, while LCHS teams support the further rehabilitation of patients once they are safe to be discharged to their chosen place of care.
The two services work together to improve the quality outcomes for patients being seen on the stroke pathway. The goal of the winning project was to assist earlier discharges from hospital for those who have been admitted with a diagnosis of stroke.
The work undertaken by the teams has led to the length of stay of patients in ULHT’s hospitals being reduced and the expansion of the stroke service within the community by LCHS means it is now available to all patients who require this vital service. Rehabilitation pathways are now based around individuals’ needs through personalisation, the entire stroke journey from hospital admission and diagnosis to rehabilitation and an overall improved joint-up approach across the Lincolnshire NHS system. As well as achieving the award win, the service has seen patients report high levels of satisfaction with how the service is run and how it supports their health and recovery.
Catherine Stamp, Advanced Speech and Language Therapist for LCHS, said: “We are so overwhelmed to have received this award. The team has worked incredibly hard to overcome traditional organisational boundaries by collaborating and building strong relationships with our Lincolnshire NHS colleagues. To be recognised nationally means so much to us.
“A lot of dedication has gone into improving our service and one thing we as a team always remember and strive to is to have a stroke service that is ‘fit for our own families’.”
Lesley Bradley, Trust Lead Physiotherapist for ULHT, said: “I’m really proud that the teams have received such a prestigious national award. They have all contributed a huge amount of time and effort in order to make the project a success. Winning an award is a fulfilling accomplishment for the teams on two levels because they know their hard work has been recognised, but also they know that this collaborative work is giving better outcomes to patients.”