Wirral PCT has been named as the top Primary Care Trust in the country at a national awards ceremony.
The Trust was awarded Primary Care Organisation of the Year 2007 at the Health Service Journal’s annual awards-giving in London, which attracts entries from across the country.
Over 1,000 people including the Health Secretary Alan Johnson were at the Grosvenor House Hotel to hear that this year the honour went to a trust “that has blazed a trail in public and patient involvement.�
Today, the chief executive of Wirral PCT, Kathy Doran, paid tribute to her “fantastic staff� for helping the organisation to clinch the award. She said: “We have a tremendous workforce whose dedication and enthusiasm took us all the way to London and to the finals of this prestigious healthcare competition. They care passionately about what they do and this shines through at every level.�
One of the judges, Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald, managing director of BUPA Commissioning, said judging the PCT category had been “a privilege.�
She said it offered an insight into “what makes a great primary care trust and a great organisation.�
Kathy Doran said she was delighted that her organisation’s success had been attributed to the Trust being “outstanding in seeking the right type of innovation for the right kinds of improvement, with genuine clinical engagement in service redesign and leaders who reach out across organisational boundaries.�
And she added: “Crucial to our achievement has been our continued commitment to involve the patients themselves in our plans for health and health care services in Wirral. Patient involvement has always been central to our efforts to improve health and reduce health inequalities.
“The HSJ award judges recognised that although Wirral has its fair share of problems – the borough fall within the 20% of districts nationally with the lowest life expectancy - things are improving steadily.�
The Trust was also acknowledged for having secured more than £500,000 of savings over the past financial year - at a time when many PCTs were struggling to meet budgets.
Wirral PCT chair, Frances Street, added: “We also impressed the judges by continuing to invest in our staff, but we know that they are worth it. This award speaks volumes for their dedication, enthusiasm and commitment. It really does show local healthcare at its best.�
Central to the work of the PCT are several key priorities:
1. A focus on patient and public involvement to genuinely influence health, healthcare planning and commissioning
2. Reducing health inequalities
3. Treating more people in the community – at the right place and at the right time – and by doing so reduce ‘avoidable’ admissions to hospital
In July this year the PCT announced an investment of several million pounds in local health services to meet the government’s waiting time targets, a new Alcohol Treatment programme, measures to tackle childhood obesity and to clear IVF waiting lists and an expansion of the Intermediate Heart Centres by investing in more scanning equipment. It also agreed to fund more equipment in GP practices, such as blood testing machines and respiratory monitoring machines.
For information on the HSJ Awards visit www.hsj.co.uk
For more information about Wirral PCT visit www.wirralpct.nhs.uk
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