Comedian presents innovation awards to Trust staff

Comedian and TV personality Jo Brand has presented staff from Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust with two prestigious innovation prizes worth a total of £4000 to take their ideas forward. She was presiding over a special awards dinner at the Imperial War Museum, in Duxford, to mark the culmination of the 2009 Innovation Competition organised by Health Enterprise East, the NHS innovation hub for the East of England.

Clinical nurse specialist Matt Richards, who is based at Hellesdon Hospital, in Norwich, and his colleagues came first in the publications and training aid category for “Walking a Different Way”, a relapse prevention course for patients in alcohol and drug recovery. The associated booklet provides patients with coping skills and strategies, better health choices, and promotes positive lifestyle changes to help prevent the return of harmful behaviour. Along with the award, they were presented with a cheque for £2500 to progress their idea.

CAD manager John Downes, and infection control nurse Val Leggett, who are also based at Hellesdon Hospital, took the runners-up prize in the infection control category for their mobile equipment cleansing unit. This provides a cost effective means of decontaminating large items of hospital equipment – such as beds and therapeutic equipment – away from the ward environment. The mobile unit minimises disruption and removes the need for costly new-build options. The unit can be moved to any site where equipment and furniture need to be thoroughly steam-cleaned and contaminated. They were presented with an engraved trophy, and a cheque for £1500 to develop their idea.

Ms Brand presented prizes worth a total of £20,000 during the awards dinner on May 13. A total of 86 entries were received across five categories for the 2009 competition, which was open to staff working in all branches of the NHS across the region.