Award Winners

Innovation and Service Development Award

Winner

Sealladh, Neuro Vision Training and Rehabilitation

This project is staffed by Visibility, a West of Scotland charity that has been working with people affected by sight loss for over 150 years. With the collaboration of several partners that include Scottish War Blinded, West Dunbartonshire Acquired Brain Injury Service, Raigmore Hospital in NHS Highland and the Royal Navy, the project treats military personnel suffering from sight loss caused by brain injury. This is done using a combination of intensive neuro vision technology, training and rehabilitation. So far 20 veterans have taken part in this project and the changes to their lives have been dramatic, giving them back their independence, confidence and increasing their mobility.

Highly Commended

  • Defence Care Provision on Operations, Defence Dental Services, Wegberg, Germany
    A specialist service providing dental care to the troops on the frontline as well as in isolated areas in Afghanistan.
  • Operational Apheresis, NHS National Blood and Transplant, Birmingham
    Critical Care team delivering life saving platelets to the battlefield saving the lives of seriously injured soldiers and civilians.   

Education and Training Award

Winner

Life Force – A Practical Guide for Working with Scotland’s Veterans, Scottish Association for Mental Health, Glasgow

Veterans with mental health problems often find it difficult to engage with community agencies after having lived within military regimes. They also face negative experiences related to their transition to civilian life. Life Force is a practical guide targeted at community agencies that provide first contact and ongoing support to people, many of whom will be veterans. These agencies often work with veterans but may have had no specialist advice on the issues veterans may face. Scotland’s leading mental health organisation SAMH has undertaken the lead role in developing the guide, consulting widely with veteran and non-veteran agencies, consequently raising the profile of veterans’ mental health. SAMH’s success has led to this issue being on the agendas of multi-agencies outwith the veteran community.

Highly Commended

  • Welsh Medics Deliver Accredited Patient Care on Operations and in the Community, 203 (Welsh) Field Hospital (Volunteers), Cardiff
    This project began in 2006 when engagement between military and healthcare sectors determined how military healthcare training could also meet the needs of the civilian healthcare sector.
  • Exercise Medical Bridge – Support to the Ambulance Services, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital (Volunteers), Belfast
    A service provided  to both the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and the National Ambulance Service of the Republic of Ireland providing joint collaboration between the ambulance services in the event of a major incident involving multiple casualties which may require critical support from both services. 

Deployed Healthcare Award

Winner

Major Moira Kane, Operation Herrick 10A, Afghanistan, 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital (Volunteers), Birmingham 

Major Moira Kane is the Nursing Officer in charge of the Emergency Department of the Role 3 Hospital in Camp Bastion Afghanistan. Her calm approach to what would be described as a
major incident, is truly remarkable. When a mass incident occurs, she is always there to ensure the casualties get the very best of care. The way Major Kane also supports her team who witness trauma unlike any other, is incredible. Without exception, every one of her team holds her in the highest regard and she has been described by her colleagues as both rock solid and an inspiration to all.
  

Highly Commended

  • Wing Commander Peter Shirley, RAF Reserve Officer, 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAuxAF, RAF Leuchars
    The Critical Care Air Support Teams providing worldwide repatriation of the most critically ill and injured service personnel in conjunction with the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust ICU.
  • Hospital Squadron, UK Medical Group on Operation Herrick 8B, 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital (Volunteers), Belfast 
    The field Hospital was nominated for their outstanding contribution to manning the Field Hospital at Camp Bastion during Operation Herrick 8B from July to November 2008. 

Health Improvement and Promotion Award

Winner

Management of Community Acquired Pneumonia Outbreak in Kandahar, COS Health Department, RAF High Wycombe

Recognition of a developing epidemic of a community acquired pneumonia in Kandahar raised great concern that there would be direct impact on operational outputs and that close air support missions might be affected. However, the infection was stopped in its tracks by the prompt action taken by medical staff at Kandahar Air Field, combined with the excellent support from MOD in conjunction with the Health Protection Agency. Consequently the infection never reached the frontline and operations were not halted. The key to the success in containing the outbreak was down to the swift and positive cross agency collaboration. The timely response controlled the spread of a very virulent pathogen.

Highly Commended

  • Chlamydia Screening in Hampshire Based Military Units, Chlamydia Screening Programme, Hampshire Community Health Care, Basingstoke
    The Chlamydia Screening Programme in Hampshire supports military personnel to integrate screening into their daily lives. Its success relies heavily on the excellent working relationships that now exist with each medical centre. 
  • The David Stone Medical Centre, RAF Brize Norton 
    Based at the gateway of deployed operations at RAF Brize Norton, the output of the medical centre has been exceptional over the last 12 months including: the treatment of 32,000 patients; cover for 7,500 parachute descents and care for 1,500 aero medical patients.
     

Mental Health Award

Winner


Trauma Risk Management Training Cell (TRiM), British Army, Camberley 

In the last year more than 2,000 army personnel have been trained by the Trauma Risk Management Cell across the world, helping remove the stigma attached to mental health issues in the Armed Forces. The Training Cell, made up of a dedicated team, delivers intensive training to large numbers of non-medical personnel to improve awareness of psychological trauma after critical incidents. The success of this project relies heavily on the effective partnership with clinical, lay, military and civilian personnel as well as welfare staff, padres, medical personnel from both the military and NHS and the wider chain of command. The Trauma Risk Management Cell provides an excellent example of how an agency can improve co-operation and services by providing a structured framework and improved awareness training.
 

Highly Commended

  • Provision of National Health Service Inpatient Care, St George’s Hospital, Stafford 
    The aim of the NHS Inpatient Provider Network is to ensure that MoD personnel are fit for full operational commitment as soon as possible after admission without compromising their needs or care. 
  • Veterans’ First Point, Edinburgh 
    Designed and staffed by veterans, for veterans. Its vision is to offer help and assistance in a veteran’s life no matter what that may be. All employees of Veterans’ First Point have served in the Armed Forces and are trained to understand veterans’ problems. 

Healthcare Reservist of the Year

Winner

Colonel Heidi Doughty, Operational Apheresis, Consultant in Transfusion Medicine,
National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Birmingham 

The lives of some of the most seriously injured soldiers and civilians have been saved because of the availability of fresh platelets to battlefield areas. Delivering these lifesaving platelets to the battlefield from the UK is an enormous challenge but Operational Apheresis has made it a resounding success. Colonel Heidi Doughty has been key to the success of the project with the support of NHS Blood and Transplant which has granted her unpaid leave and flexible working hours so she can respond at short notice. The programme has demonstrated the important role that TA healthcare reservists provide, which goes beyond their expected 27 days a year service and deployment. Colonel Doughty is currently involved in the assessment of transfusion projects for the Afghanistan Ministry of Health.
 

Highly Commended

  • Lieutenant Colonel Tom Trinick, Clinical Director, Royal Army Medical Corps, 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital (Volunteers), Belfast 
    Both a civilian and reservist medical professional, he  has done so much in sustaining the lives of seriously ill military and civilian casualties. The skills and experience gained by Dr Trinick in treating serious illness and injury when deployed on active service, is available to his NHS Trust when he returns to his civilian work. 
  • Wing Commander Philip Barlow, Consultant Neurosurgeon, RAF Reserve Officer, 612
    (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAuxAF, RAF Leuchars
    Wing Commander Philip Barlow, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital, is a volunteer for active service who has applied his valuable skills saving the lives of countless military and civilian personnel.  

Care of Veterans Award

Winner

Veterans’ Mental Health Project, Tees Esk and Wear Valleys National Health ServiceTrust, Bishop Auckland

The Veterans’ Mental Health Project is one of a series of pilot partnership projects between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Health with the aim of improving mental health care of veterans. Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust successfully bid to become one of the pilot areas and is led by Symon Day. This project delivers a culturally sensitive service using existing resources and expertise. So far, training on military culture and veterans’ mental health issues and post traumatic stress disorder has been provided to over 150 Trust staff across 60 service delivery teams. This has resulted in expert and sensitive mental health treatment for military veterans. 

Highly Commended

  • Aftercare, UDR and Royal Irish After Care Service, Northern Ireland
    Aftercare provides a caring and professional service which retains credibility through the employment of former soldiers. The greatest benefit is the provision of bespoke psychological therapies to counter the effects of post traumatic stress and other mental health disorders.  
  • Hollybush House Veterans Treatment Centre, Embracing Veterans’ Mental Health
    Needs, Combat Stress, Ayr
    Hollybush House provides innovative approaches to mental healthcare for veterans suffering from severe chronic forms of post traumatic stress disorder. It has invested heavily in training for its staff, resulting in a more treatment-focused service rather than one based on a model of respite care.  

Team of the Year:
Military and Civilian Health Partnership Award

Winner

Ortho-Plastic Team at the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham

The combined Ortho-Plastic Team at the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, provides an impressively coordinated approach to the treatment and care of military patients. Led by Professor Keith Porter, this team of committed clinicians from the NHS and Ministry of Defence, ensure that the focus is on delivering multi-disciplinary and multi–specialty care packages to each military patient admitted. The Hospital admits in the region of 200 aero medically evacuated patients every four months, some of whom are multiple traumatic amputees, who progress from injury to rehabilitation in a matter of weeks. It is the bringing together of all the expertise across the University Hospital of Birmingham that permits such rapid patient recovery. 

Highly Commended

  • Regional Rehabilitation Unit (RRU), RAF Cranwell 
    A  dedicated team whose flexibility and capability has resulted in an efficient and effective care pathway for patients. Following a three week intensive exercise-based rehabilitation course, patients leave fully equipped with the tools required for an accelerated return to operational duty.
  • Aeromedical Evacuation Department based at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham
    The team deciphers often limited, clinical detail, and decides which speciality the patient should be admitted under. The service which the Aero medical Department provides could not be achieved without the excellent rapport with, and support from, agencies such as West Midlands Ambulance Service, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham International Airport.