Mental Health Innovation of the Year - HSJ Awards Photo
Photo left to right: David Walliams, Mahesh Odiyoor, Lisa Thompson,
Faye Bohen, Ceri Woodrow, Faouzi Alam, Stephanie Edge,
Madeleine Lowry, and Alun Baker CEO Good Shape (Award Sponsor).

Local NHS Trust, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) has won the highly prestigious Mental Health Innovation of the Year at this year’s HSJ Awards 2022.

The national Health Service Journal Awards were held on Thursday 17 November and provides an opportunity to recognise the outstanding contributions to Health Care.

CWP’s Learning Disabilities, Neurodevelopmental and Acquired Brain Injury and Children, Young People and Families Care Groups won Mental Health Innovation of Year for their work on the Dynamic Support Database – Clinical Support Tool (DSD-CST).

DSD-CST was developed to initially support commissioner responsibilities in holding up-to-date information about people in the community which allows hospital services to provide increasing levels of support for autistic people and people with intellectual disability at risk of inpatient admission.

The tool developed provides a red/ amber green rating and clinically prioritises individuals in relation to their risk of mental health hospital admission.  The tool enables commissioners to keep a database of people at risk of admission and allows for any changes individual’s needs to be reflected.  

This project has significantly improved recognition of needs, enabled timely support as well as easy access to intensive support for those who require it, a reduction of inpatient admissions and a reduction in length of inpatient stay for those who have required this level of support.  It is the only validated and reliable measure for rating admission need and is recommended by NHS England.

Since its development, services across the North West and further afield in England have implemented or investigated use of the tool.

The Health Service Journal said: “The change approach and the level of spread of this innovation was particularly impressive, as was the approach to collecting impact data. This was an altruistic and compassionate project where the clear aim was to genuinely make a difference.”

Dr Ceri Woodrow, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, CWP who led the project said: “It is an honour to win Mental Health Innovation of the Year and I would like to say a very special thanks to the team behind the DSD-CST.

“Their amazing efforts will really make a difference to autistic people and people with learning disabilities, ensuring they receive the right care, at the right time in the right place”.

Tim Welch, Chief Executive, CWP said: “On behalf of everyone at CWP I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the Dynamic Support Database – Clinical Support Tool project. Everyone at the Trust is extremely proud of their achievement.

“Their hard work and dedication to improving the lives of people in the neurodivergent community sets a very high standard for everyone working in health and social care. Ensuring we offer the best possible care to the communities we serve is the number one priority at CWP, and this project extends that philosophy to the whole of the North West and beyond.”

 

Read more about our other HSJ Award wins and nominations: