Hospital at Night commended at HSJ awards

Hospital at Night’s objective of ensuring the highest standards of patient care and treatment has been commended in the Patient Safety category of the 2008 Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards.

At last night’s glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, Hospital at Night was recognised as one of the top nominees in the Patient Safety category, narrowly missing out on the top prize to Salford Royal Foundation Trust.

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Hospital at Night promotes clinical team working with doctors, nurses and other allied professionals, across a full range of skills, competences and specialties to meet the immediate needs of patients overnight. It links to the recommendations of Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review and ensures the right person, with the right skills, is available at the right time to address the needs of patients and provide the best care.

A recent study, The Case for Hospital at Night: The Search for Evidence was published by Workforce Projects Team using data from the NHS Information Centre that showed the impact and trends of scheme, demonstrating:

A reduction in the mortality ratio in the pre to post implementation period
A reduction in the number of patients needing to be transferred to other sites for treatment
A reduction in the adverse incident reports
An increase in productivity and teamwork.

Gerry Bolger, senior project manager, Workforce Projects Team, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to be nominated in the 2008 Patient Safety category of the HSJ awards and would like to pass on our sincere congratulations to Salford Royal Foundation Trust. This nomination shows how far the method has progressed since 2004, and a great seal of approval to the hard work and dedication of everyone who has supported the Hospital at Night project.”

Wendy Reid, national clinical lead for Hospital at Night said Wendy Reid, clinical lead for Hospital at Night said: “We are delighted to have been nominated which recognises the work of many people over the last five to six years involved in Hospital at Night. The concept supports patient safety as well as supporting safer training for junior doctors and enhancing team work. With the evidence in the recent report produced by Workforce Projects Team and the NHS Information Centre, we can truly be proud that we have a method of care that is contributing positively to the well being of patients.”

The Hospital at Night project was initiated by the Department of Health and successfully piloted by the Modernisation Agency in 2004. Since then it has been implemented across the wider NHS.

To find out more about Hospital at Night, visit the healthcare workforce portal at www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk.