Winners of HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2022 revealed

The awards recognise and reward the hard-working teams and individuals who, in these times of austerity, pay restraints and workforce shortages, are striving to deliver improved patient care.

HSJ correspondent Annabelle Collins gave a welcome speech before comedian and writer Justin Moorhouse hosted the event, which was held at the end of the first day of the Patient Safety Congress.

Ms Collins said: “Not only are you treating more and more patients, in difficult circumstances, you’re treating them safely and innovating during a time when the health service is being told by the government to be more efficient. To do more, with less. I think this makes your work and achievements even more special.

“It is clear from this year’s Patient Safety Awards finalists that this innovation is happening throughout the NHS, from Devon to Blackpool, from Suffolk to North Cumbria. It really is the golden thread that runs through it.”

Two stages of judging had whittled the number of contenders down to 171 finalists, from which the eventual 23 winners and highly commendeds were selected.

This year, the awards were presented under four key areas:

• Clinical and specialist excellence;

• Enacting organisation-wide change;

• Proactive prevention and harm avoidance; and

• Service/system innovation.