The brightest minds in healthcare have been revealed as the finalists for this year’s Bright Ideas in Health Awards are announced.
Now in its 16th year, the prestigious awards celebrate the achievements of health innovators across academia, NHS and industry within the North East and North Cumbria.
More than 220 entries were received across the eight categories in this year’s awards, and 32 finalists have now been shortlisted.
The bright ideas in the running include everything from teaching children how to swallow tablet medication to an asthma assessment tool, and sepsis podcasts to a digital innovation allowing patients to test their own kidney function at home.
Dr Nicola Wesley, Interim Chief Executive Officer at the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC), which organises the awards, said: “Innovation within healthcare is a vital component to creating a sustainable NHS that is fit for the future. There is ground-breaking work taking place across the region and the Bright Ideas in Health Awards has been helping to showcase this for almost two decades.
“We received the highest ever number of entries this year which highlights the scale of innovative projects being carried out in the region, and also the passion and pride from the people behind the work who are doing truly fantastic things to improve the care and service provided to patients.
“Thank you to everyone who entered this year and well done and good luck to all our 32 finalists.”
The winners of the eight categories will be announced at the annual Bright Ideas in Health Awards ceremony on 14th November at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead.
The finalists in each category are listed below:
Demonstrating an Impact upon Patient Safety
- Avoiding Falls Level of Observation Assessment Tool – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- A Collaborative Approach to Responding to and Reducing Falls in Older Adults in the Community – Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Community Nursing Sepsis Screening and Action Tool – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Cardiac Arrest Reduction Strategy – County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Demonstrating an Impact upon Quality Improvement
- Implementation of Direct Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae PCR screening for Peri-Operative ICCU patients – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Prevention and Detection of Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care – Derwentside Healthcare Ltd
- Telemedicine Home Visiting Service to Ease GP Workload and Workforce Pressures – North Cumbria CCG
- The KidzMed Project – Teaching Children to Swallow Tablet Medication – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Development of an Innovative Device or Technology, sponsored by The Centre for Process Innovation
- Improvements in Mandibular Reconstruction – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- PED E-resuscitation Tool (PET) – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
- AMBLor – Prognosis of Early Stage Cutaneous Melanoma – Newcastle University
- Managing Unusual Sensory Experiences in Psychosis – Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Early Diagnosis and Precision Medicine Award
- The VARIANT Trial – Feasibility Trial of Personalised Treatment of Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer – Newcastle University
- Measurement of Statin Concentrations – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Improvements in Breast Imaging – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Kromek
- A Point of Care Device for Large Vessel Occlusion Diagnosis – POCKiT diagnostics LTD
Digital Innovation in Health and Social Care, sponsored by Great North Care Record
- Self Testing of Kidney Function – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- The Digital Doctors Surgery – Empowering Digital Patients – NHS Sunderland CCG
- Capacity Tracker – NHS North of England Commissioning Support
- Development of an Electronic Paediatric Emergency Department Asthma Assessment Tool (PEDAAT) – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Outstanding Research Collaboration with the NHS, sponsored by NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria and MedCoNnecT North
- Improved Treatment of Vascular Birthmarks – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- SABR – A Radiotherapy Programme – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Evaluation of a Point of Care Test for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Infants and Young Children – Newcastle University
Innovation in Education Category sponsored by Health Education England North East
- F|Docs – Innovative Training for Foundation Doctors – Academy
- Simulation as Part of Shadowing to Increase Preparedness – County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
- Paediatric Sepsis Podcasts – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Development of Integrated Competency Hubs – Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- An Online Programme of Interactive Allergy Education – Newcastle University
Innovation Champion, sponsored by Newcastle University
- The Sensational Thinking Project – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Transition from Paediatric to Adult Care – A Co-produced Patient Experience Project – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- The Acute Stroke Unit- Ward E58 Sunderland Royal Hospital – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
- Ian Dove – Business Development Manager – County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
To find out more about the Bright Ideas in Health Awards and further information on each of the finalists, visit: https://brightideasinhealth.org.uk/