Hartlepool hospital trust team in line for prestigious national award

The emergency assessment unit (EAU) at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust are the regional winner of the Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care Award in the NHS Parliamentary Awards

As regional champions the unit will now go head to head with other winners from across the country for a national award to be presented at a special ceremony in the House of Commons on July 10.

The prestigious awards, supported by Fuji Film, aim to celebrate outstanding health and care staff who help patients as part of the NHS long term plan.

On the shortlist are hundreds of clinicians who go above and beyond the call of duty every single day.

The individuals, who were nominated by their local MPs, all have one common goal - to make a genuine difference to the people they care for.

The North Tees EAU - nominated by MPs Alex Cunningham and Mike Hill - provides high quality emergency acute care to 400,000 patients in Hartlepool, Stockton and North Tees.

In March, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust was ranked first out of 131 trusts nationally for seeing patients within four hours of arriving at its Accident and Emergency care department.

It achieved 97.8% against the NHS target of 95%.

The EAU initiative has allowed for more tailored care for 30,000 patients each year.

Streamlining the services has an impact not only on their ability to provide efficient, safe care for but also enhances the level of care provided within the Accident & Emergency Department.

Dr Dawn Ashley, urgent and emergency care consultant at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are so delighted to have been selected as regional winners for the Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care in the NHS Parliamentary Awards.

“Our emphasis on creating an environment where staff are valued.”