Northampton General Hospital Highly Commended at 40th Health Service Journal Awards

Highly Commended award

Northampton General Hospital has been Highly Commended for the Environmental Sustainability Award at the 40^th HSJ Awards.

Over 4000 healthcare heroes tuned in to the first virtual HSJ Awards evening on Wednesday 17th March 2021 (rescheduled from November 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic) to celebrate the dedication, innovation, and teamwork within the health care community.

The HSJ Awards is revered for its role in shedding light on these important qualities and their value in “opening doors” to wider opportunities and funding within the healthcare sector today.

Following an extensive judging process, undertaken by a wide range of well-respected figures from across the UK healthcare community, NGH has been Highly Commended in recognition of their outstanding contribution to healthcare over the past 12 months – a year which has undoubtedly been one of the most demanding on record for the NHS.

The judges said of NGH: “The judges could clearly see how the team worked with local organisations and national networks, by being imbedded in other strategies rather than just a stand-alone concept. Early engagement work was recognised with the potential of building into a bigger strategy. The service and the patient are evidently at the heart of what they are doing.”

The entry has been based on the hospital-wide actions that have been taken to reduce NGH’s environmental impact. These actions include:

• Reduction in carbon emissions from heating, lighting and power in line with NHS targets
• Reduction in the environmental impact of the anaesthetic department through changes in the use of anaesthetic gases
• Removal of over a million pieces of single use plastic each year from the staff restaurants and from the wards
• Enabling home working for over 10% of staff during Covid, which has reduced local pollution as well as reducing fossil fuel use
• Introduction of reusable gowns and named, reusable theatre hats

Of being Highly Commended, Clare Topping from Northampton General Hospital said: “It was a great team effort, with various departments making changes to processes and behaviour, which, as well as reducing environmental impact also enhanced patient or staff experience.  This means that the changes are sustainable and have survived through Covid, and, in most cases have either been cost neutral or have saved money.’

HSJ Editor, Alistair McLellan, offered his congratulations to Northampton General Hospital for their success, “The entrants this year have been of incredible calibre, and each of those recognised at the Awards has been chosen based on their outstanding commitment to excellence in healthcare, I’d like to offer my congratulations to Northampton General Hospital on being Highly Commended at this year’s 40^th HSJ Awards”.

The winners and those highly commended were announced during the virtual ceremony attended by thousands of health and social care workers, celebrating the excellence of the healthcare sector whilst giving every outstanding individual the praise, support and recognition they deserve after a year like no other.

For more information on the 40^th HSJ Awards visit: www.awards.hsj.co.uk