Bright Ideas in Health Awards’ shortlist revealed

Innovators that have helped to transform patient care over the last few years are to be recognised as the Bright Ideas in Health Awards finalists are announced.

The awards, which have returned after a one-year hiatus during the pandemic, received a great response from northern innovators all vying for awards across 10 categories.

Now in its 17th year, the prestigious awards recognise the achievements of individuals and teams working within the NHS, industry and academia, who have risen to the challenge of improving services provided to patients, either through a technical innovation or through better service delivery.

The Bright Ideas in Health Awards, which are this year supported by lead sponsor North East and North Cumbria ICS,  will celebrate innovators that have stepped up to the challenges posed during the pandemic, which has seen innovations developed, evaluated and adopted at speed and scale.

Dr Nicola Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer at the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC), which organises the awards, said: “Following a year’s break we are thrilled to be back with the Bright Ideas in Health Awards for 2021. After the last 18 months, it’s inspiring to look back at some of the amazing health innovations that have come out of the region.

“We have some incredible finalists this year who are all worthy of recognition and celebration – and we will do just that at the awards ceremony on 25th November. Well done and good luck to all the finalists on the night.”

The winners of the 10 categories will receive a cash prize and support from innovation experts at the AHSN NENC to progress their ideas. They will be announced at the annual Bright Ideas in Health Awards ceremony, which will take place virtually on Thursday 25th November at 6pm.

The finalists in each category are listed below:

Development of an Innovative Device or Technology, sponsored by CPI

  • Shoulder Reduction Assistance Device   – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
  • Antipsychotic Medication Monitoring – Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Measurement of Binocular Visual Function in Children – Newcastle University
  • Detection of Abnormal Blood Potassium Levels – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Outstanding Industry Collaboration, sponsored by RTC North & Innovate UK EDGE

  • The Northern Bone Health Project – Northern Health Science Alliance Ltd
  • GlycoScore – superior prostate cancer diagnosis using a simple blood test – Newcastle University
  • Northern Cancer Alliance and MSD Partnership – MSD UK Ltd

Celebrating Innovation Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

  • CHESS North Cumbria – Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating (DAFNE) – remote education for adults living with type 1 diabetes – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Delivering digitally enhanced cardiac rehabilitation during COVID-19 restrictions and beyond – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
  • Grab Boxes of Medication for End of Life Care – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Innovation Champion Award

  • Dawn Lockey, Limb Reconstruction Physiotherapist – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
  • Dr Mani Santhana Krishnan, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry/Liaison Psychiatry – Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Lisa Kennedy, Clinical Lead (Auditory Implants) & Co-ordinator NERCIP, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Digital Innovation in Health and Social Care, sponsored by NENC ICS Digital Care Programme

  • Pall Call: ensuring equity of access to palliative care support with a new innovative 24/7 telemedicine service – North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
  • Digital joint school – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • HEIDI – HEadache Interactive DIary app – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
  • Deterioration ALERT – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Innovation in Hospital or Community Education Category, sponsored by Health Education England North East

  • GOTT: Gabapentinoid and Opioid Toolbox: Ten Footsteps training programme for pain self-management – Durham University
  • Virtual Work Experience in Healthcare – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Young@Heart – a student-led hypertension clinic – Newcastle University

Demonstrating an Impact upon Patient Safety and/ or Quality Improvement

  • Acute Frailty Team: The benefits of a Front of House multidisciplinary Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment – County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
  • Deterioration ALERT – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Remote Autism Assessments to ensure the continuation of Autism Assessments when face to face contact with patients is compromised – Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
  • Online Patient Consultations – Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Making Healthier, Happier Places and Spaces – Innovations in the Built Environment 

  • The Bank Chopwell – Chopwell Regeneration CIO
  • Dementia Village – North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust

Research Impact Award, sponsored by NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria

  • Adapting Colorectal Cancer Research to the COVID – 19 Pandemic – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
  • PRINCIPLE COVID-19 Trial – North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
  • RELIEVE-IBSD Virtual Trial – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Helping our Workforce to Recover from the Pandemic (A collaboration between AHSN NENC and Yorkshire & Humber AHSN), sponsored by NHS England and NHS Improvement North East and Yorkshire

  • Resilience Hub – Supporting staff health & wellbeing with Long COVID-19 – Humber, Coast & Vale Health and Care Partnership
  • Creative writing for wellbeing workshops: a unique & innovative collaboration between an acute NHS hospital trust and the Open University – North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
  • Recovering from the pandemic – recognising the importance of staff well-being – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Front Line Staff Wellbeing Respite – ReCoCo

To find out more about the Bright Ideas in Health Awards and further information on each of the finalists, visit: https://brightideasinhealth.org.uk/

To register for the virtual ceremony on 25th November, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bright-ideas-in-health-awards-tickets-167591610017