The Medicines Optimisation Team at NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (KMCCG) has made the shortlist for the HSJ Patient Safety Awards. These awards recognise and celebrate hard-working teams and individuals who are striving to deliver improved patient care.
There are 24 awards being given away in total under the four key areas as follows:
• Clinical and specialist excellence
• Enacting organisation-wide change
• Proactive prevention and harm avoidance
• Service/system innovation.
The team has been recognised for three programmes, with two nominated for the Improving Safety in Medicines Management Award and the other nominated for Early-Stage Patient Safety Innovation of the Year.
These achievements include a joint entry with Kent Community Health Foundation Trust, involving the design and implementation of a local service within East Kent. This is to support 20 practices to reduce high opioid doses.
The team’s second recognition is for the development of a tool, that helped GP practices achieve improved Care Quality Commission ratings and created a collaborative quality and safety network across Kent and Medway.
Finally, the team has been nominated for their work on a pregnancy prevention programme for women and girls who have to take a specific medication. Although the medication can help various health issues, including epilepsy and bipolar disorder, it can also increase risks of birth defects. The team work with women and girls to help make sure they do not fall pregnant while taking the medication, reducing the risks. Now in its second year the team’s approach is being adopted across Kent and Medway.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 15 September. For more information please visit the HSJ Patient Safety Awards website.
