We’re delighted that four of our projects have been shortlisted in the HSJ Value Awards – all across our Surgery division.

The quick work of our Trauma and Orthopaedics team to keep patients safe at the beginning of the pandemic has been shortlisted in the Operations and Performance Initiative of the Year category.

In just one week, our team relocated to the Independent Treatment Centre (ISTC) at King George Hospital. A large amount of planning a restructuring of services went into the move, supported by our colleagues in the private sector, as well as other partners, something which would usually take several weeks. It meant we had a Covid-protected site to safely care for our trauma patients.

Our Trauma and Orthopaedics team is also up for the HSJ Value Award of the Year for its Bones Project (BHRUT Orthopaedic NHS Elective Surgery). The project saw our team run a ‘perfect week’ in October to tackle the backlog of patients awaiting surgery, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

We exceeded our own expectations during the week, carrying out 135 joint replacements, 88 day case surgeries and 27 spinal procedures.

Our Academy of Surgery has been shortlisted for the People and Organisational Development Initiative of the Year.

Just last summer we were celebrating as the academy had successfully prepared its first group of junior doctors with the skills needed to enter their higher level training posts.

Led by Veeru Shatkar, our consultant and general surgery lead, the Academy of Surgery is an innovative training pathway for doctors wishing to pursue a surgical career and has attracted participants from all over the world, including Iraq, Egypt and Pakistan.

Lastly, we’ve also been shortlisted for the Acute Service Redesign Initiative, for our subspecialist twinning programme for advanced surgical care practitioners (ASP) and physician associates (PA).

Introduced in 2018, the project trains senior nurses and other healthcare professionals to become ASPs and PAs over two years. The first programme has seen four new recruits trained.

Well done to all those involved in these projects, which have been shortlisted against hundreds of other applicants. Winners will be announced this June.