07 December 2023

The winners of the 2023 Celebration of Achievement Awards were revealed in a glittering awards ceremony held at Scarborough Spa recently.

The awards recognise the achievements of staff and volunteers at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

An inspiring small team, who had been instrumental in ensuring the Trust embed the use of digital technology to promote patient safety, scooped one of the top awards.

The Trust’s Nucleus Product Team was presented with the Chief Executive Award. The team also received an award for Quality Improvement (staff), which recognises the Trust’s value of excellence in improving the working life for staff.

One of the team’s central roles was to ensure the Nucleus product was installed correctly to assist the flow of information and care, as patients move through their hospital journey.

In Autumn 2022, Nucleus digital documentation was successfully deployed in all 39 adult in-patient areas across all sites within six weeks, successfully delivering a quality product, on time and within budget. 

Reflecting on their huge collective effort, Simon Morritt, Chief Executive explained: “The difference Nucleus has made to our staff is tangible, and nurses now spend more time delivering patient care than recording it.  And they’re not finished yet, with phase two on the way, transforming more forms for nurses, doctors, and AHPs.

“Collaboration between the development team and clinicians was ground-breaking and users, system designers, and developers worked seamlessly together to create Nucleus.  Examples of ‘going the extra mile’ were frequent and demonstrated how much this project meant to everyone involved, with staff from a whole host of teams playing their part in making this happen.”

The difference Nucleus has made to Trust staff is tangible, nurses now spend more time delivering patient care than recording it.  In a recent survey, 88% of respondents would recommend Nucleus to other Trusts compared to 15% previously recommending paperwork, and the number of staff staying behind at least once a week to complete paperwork has more than halved.

The Trust’s Chief Digital Information Officer, James Hawkins, said:

“My aspirations on the night were exceeded, with ‘Nucleus’ stealing the show and going home with two awards, including the CEO team of the year.  Nucleus was a whole team effort and everyone in Digital Information Service has contributed to its success, from ordering the hardware to providing the Wi-Fi, developing the code, managing the servers, training the users, to understanding the data and insights.”

The event, which was attended by 300 staff, showcased the excellent work taking place throughout the Trust.  The Trust’s annual award ceremony, which is fully sponsored, honours those who go ‘above and beyond’ for patients.

The awards reflect the diversity of skills, expertise, and contributions staff provide each day for the benefit of others.  Picking up top awards for going that extra mile were staff from hospitals and community teams as well as scientists, nurses, volunteers, and colleagues who show commitment and courage in their daily working lives.