News

Sheffield's Sexual Health Services team praised by judges “for having significantly increased value in their redesign of health services"

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have won a top national award for successfully redesigning the city’s sexual health services, improving access to those most in need.

The sexual health team, who added value to their services by introducing citywide ‘one stop shops’ as part of a remodelling of services scooped the top prize in the community health service redesign category at the 2017 Health Service Journal’s Value in Health Awards – one of the most highly coveted awards in the NHS.

The team involved patients and key partner organisations in the redesign of the service and 99% of patients recently reported that the services they received from Sheffield’s sexual health services were good or excellent.

Services provided by the team include pregnancy tests, a youth clinic which provides confidential advice and support to people of all ages, and screening for sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea.

The team, who beat off fierce competition from over 400 entries, were praised by the judges “for having significantly increased value in their redesign of health services and have successfully involved patients and partners throughout”.

Key successes of the redesign include developing a comprehensive triage system so that people using sexual health services can be directed to the most appropriate level of care, and introducing rapid access clinics which have freed up specialist resources, allowing doctors and nurses to undertake more complex cases while also ensuring that those most in need get quick, access to the services they need.

Rachel Henchley, Service Improvement Project Manager for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The Sexual Health Team are proud and delighted to have won this award. This is a significant acknowledgment of the hard work and commitment demonstrated by the staff who deliver sexual health services in Sheffield, and could not have been achieved without the excellent clinical leadership and truly supportive and collaborative approach of the multi-disciplinary team. Receiving national recognition of our work is humbling and we will continue to work hard to deliver excellent sexual health services in Sheffield.”

The winners of the 2017 HSJ Value in Healthcare Awards were announced on 24 May at Grosvenor House, London. The awards recognise and celebrate outstanding improvement in quality of care and efficiency throughout the NHS.

The 20 deserving winners were decided by an expert panel of judges.

Alastair McLennan, Editor of the Health Service Journal, said: “These awards are dedicated to the dominating challenge facing the NHS – how to improve care quality and efficiency within a tightening financial budget. For the number and quality of entries to this year’s Value in Healthcare Awards are the most impressive to date. We received over 400 entries – from every region and from every type of NHS organisation. That the NHS is able to continue to innovate while under such historic pressure is a tribute to its resilience and, in particular, to the efforts of the people sitting in this room.’’

ENDS

Photo: The sexual health team pick up their award at the prestigious Health Service Journal’s Value in Health Awards. Rachel Henchley (3rd right) and Fiona Wolfe (4th right) from the team with comedian Jo Caulfield (1st left), who hosted the awards night.