A DEDICATED group of NHS workers committed to providing patients the best pathway possible have been nominated for the NHS Team of the Year award. 

The Single Point of Access team, a combination of the urgent community response team and the same-day emergency care team, take referrals from across the health care service, including the ambulance service, GPs and social care. 

The team aims to provide alternative routes for treatment and avoid unnecessary admissions to A&E departments.

This not only helps to reduce pressure on hospitals in the region but also provides a better patient experience.

The Single Point of Access has been operational since December 2023 and brings together staff from the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust.

Johanna James, operational lead of the urgent community response, said: "We are extremely pleased and proud to be nominated for the NHS Team of the Year award.

"We have been recognised nationally for as a leading example in the country of this way of working.

"We have a long way to go in the development of this service and making a real impact, however, we are extremely proud of the collaborative working and work to date resulting in this nomination."

The Worcestershire Health and Social Care Awards 2024 are organised by Newsquest, publishers of the Worcester News, Malvern Gazette, Evesham Journal, Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Advertisers and The Shuttle.

There are 12 categories in total:

  • NHS Team of the Year
  • Palliative Care Award
  • NHS Hero
  • Care Home Worker or Team of the Year
  • Health Care Employer Award
  • Good Nurse Award
  • Child & Adolescent Health Care Award
  • Dementia Carer Award
  • Mental Health Award
  • GP Practice of the Year
  • Domiciliary Care Worker Award
  • Oral Health Care Professional of the Year

Nominating someone only takes a few minutes. Visit https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/health-and-social-care-awards/.

The awards will culminate in a black tie dinner at the Bank House Hotel in Bransford on Thursday, September 19 where the winners will be announced.

The deadline for nominations is Sunday, July 14.