ellenor is delighted to announce that its COVID Capacity Support Scheme – working with NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Supportive Care UK (SCUK) enabling equity of access to palliative care has been shortlisted for ‘Best Not for Profit Working in Partnership with the NHS’ at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2022, recognising their outstanding contribution to healthcare – in what has been an exceptional and challenging period across the sector.

Despite the demanding circumstances of the past 2 years, over 190 entries have been received. The ‘Best Not for Profit Working in Partnership’ category has 9 projects shortlisted.

The volume and standard of applications have been a true testament to those health and social care staff, who continue to push outstanding work and transformational projects across the sector.

The judging panel was once again made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, including Dr Matt Aiello (National Programmes Lead, Education Reform, Health Education England); Dr Elena Bechberger (National Programme Director – LVHC Programme, NHS England and NHS Improvement); Claire Igoe (Head of Environmental Sustainability - Manchester University FT) and Vinice Thomas (Director of Nursing and Quality, NHS England and NHS Improvement).

Following the intense and in-depth judging process, ellenor has been shortlisted, ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held on 24th March 2022. Standing out amongst tough competition from hundreds of other exemplary applicants, ellenor hospice, Supportive Care UK and NHS Kent and Medway CCG have been selected based on their ambition, visionary spirit and the demonstrable positive impact that their project has had on patient and staff experiences within the health and social care sector. 

The motivation to submit an application was to celebrate and recognise the extraordinary work ellenor Hospice have undertaken in partnership with the Dartford Gravesham and Swanley Health & Care Partnership Team (DGS HCP) within Kent and Medway NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Supportive Care UK (SCUK). From April 2020 this partnership has enabled the hospice to offer step-down care and end of life care to patients with COVID-19 whose prognosis may be complicated by other chronic health problems such as clinical frailty or dementia. The project "broke rules that didn't exist" by ensuring patients had access to the necessary expertise beyond the walls of the Hospice, involving community assessment and follow up, with an end goal of avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions.

ellenor doubled their bed capacity overnight, to ensure they supported the local health economy in the challenges of the pandemic. In addition, ellenor continued to provide the high quality of Inpatient palliative care and advice and support to the wider community. The project was supported by a weekly video-conferenced ward round with a Consultant in Palliative Medicine from Supportive Care UK.

This Medical workforce model strengthened governance arrangements and provided a "check and challenge" to clinical care plans. The partnership wants to acknowledge the commitment that the staff at ellenor Hospice and the CCG displayed to working differently, channelling funding for care that traditionally would not have been admitted to a Hospice environment. During the Pandemic, the confident partnership model between ellenor Hospice, the DGS HCP Team at the CCG and SCUK conjoined to provide an adaptive service which addressed a potential crisis and ensured continuity of care across the Trust. This could be considered a model of best practice, where the foresight, vision and expertise from specialist providers working together had substantial and universal impact.

The partnership between ellenor Hospice, local Kent and Medway CCG staff and Supportive Care UK enabled the hospice to save a total of 1509 NHS Hospital bed days with 339 patients admitted during the timescale of the project, more than 100 being step-down patients from the local hospital. Access to necessary expertise advice was provided by a re-profiled medical workforce.

Linda Coffey, ellenor Director of Care says: “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for ‘Best Not for Profit Working in Partnership with the NHS’.

Our staff unanimously embraced the challenges of providing care and support to patients and families regardless of their diagnosis. At the end of the day, a patient is a patient, a family is a family who just need care and support. It is a wonderful recognition for all staff and supporters of the hospice in our ongoing efforts to enhance our services for our local community.

We are ellenor, your local hospice.”

The full list of nominees for the HSJ Partnership Awards 2022 can be found here.

The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Westminster Park Plaza, London on March 24th, 2022