A Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) programme manager, the team behind a new transformative patient record system and a health visiting text messaging service have all been shortlisted for a HSJ Digital Award.
Laura Godtschalk, programme manager from LPT’s Leicestershire Health Informatics Service (LHIS), is up for the Digital Leader of the Year Award. Laura spearheaded the development of the LLR (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland) Care Record, which has completely revamped the way patient health information is shared with partner services to enhance and improve care.
The wider team behind the new patient record system is also up for the Digital Team of the Year Award, as well as the LLR Care Record being shortlisted for the Connecting Health and Social Care through Digital Award.
The joined-up health and care records system pulls together a person’s separate records into one safe and secure format. This helps health and care professionals directly involved in an individual’s care to have a complete view of the patient’s illnesses and the treatment they have received across various services, such as hospitals, GPs, the LOROS hospice and social services.
David Williams, group director of strategy and partnerships at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and Laura’s nominator, said: “Laura knew that a successful care record system deployment wasn’t just about the technology, it was about getting it right for the people using it and the patients who we treat and care for.
“Laura made sure she spoke with patients before setting up the system. This enabled her to champion real world problems, find solutions and promote improved ways forward to clinicians to save time and improve care. We could not be prouder of her and the team behind the LLR Care Record and everything they have achieved.”
The LLR Care Record project began in conjunction with the LLR ICS and Yorkshire and Humber ICS. It was launched in May 2022 and as of December 2023, the LLR Care Record includes over 1.1 million people’s care records, with around 1,000 health and social care professionals trained to use the system. Its introduction has prevented treatment and care decision delays, as information no longer needs to be forwarded from induvial health and social care organisations; everything is available on the care record. It is estimated the new system is saving health and care professionals at least 20 minutes a day, which is time that can be used for patient care, improved decision making and a better staff and patient experience. Work to include more organisations on the record, such as NHS 111, care homes, children’s services, and Rainbows Children’s Hospice and others, is now taking place to provide an even more comprehensive system.
It is estimated the new system will save health and care organisations in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland around £14.8m in efficiency savings over the next 10 years.
The LLR Care Record is also part of the national Connecting Care Records programme, with Laura supporting and chairing national meetings to enable other health and care providers to learn from her work.
Laura said: “The LLRCR programme team and those supporting from all LLR ICS organisations and beyond is nothing short of amazing; pioneering innovation, a progressive mindset and inspiring those around them. I’m truly proud to be part such an extraordinary team and community.
“We continuously bang the drum to highlight the importance of social care as an intrinsic part of an individual’s holistic health and wellbeing. This recognition highlights the crucial role that digital innovation plays in bridging the gap between health and social care. This acknowledgement fuels us to keep moving forward and striving for excellence in data sharing, fostering health and social care to be a more connected community digitally and collaboratively.”
Also up for two awards is Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s ChatHealth text messaging service. The easy, safe and secure software, which allows people to speak to a qualified health professional, has been shortlisted for the Generating Impact in Population Health through Digital Award and the Empowering Patients through Digital Award.
Both entries are for the work the team behind ChatHealth have done to enhance access to health visiting services for parents and carers of 0-5 year-olds through upscaling the messaging service to be used nationally and adopted by other NHS Trusts.
ChatHealth, now used by over 80 NHS trusts across the UK for various services, was developed for the NHS by the NHS. It allows healthcare professionals to respond to incoming messages from service users via a centrally-managed portal and enhances support provided by health visitors, by allowing families to get timely help and advice in-between scheduled appointments. This not only offers families greater convenience but also helps to reduce pressures on GPs and hospitals.
Julie Jones, Client Relationship Manager for the Digital Health Transformation Service at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust said: “We are delighted that ChatHealth has made the shortlist! Being a finalist for two awards in the HSJ Digital Awards 2024 hugely recognises the fantastic work by health visitors in implementing ChatHealth messaging services for parents and carers of 0–5-year-olds. Not only does this celebrate ChatHealth’s pioneering use in health visiting at LPT, it also honours our work with health visiting teams at more than 40 NHS Trusts who have successfully adopted ChatHealth’s shared technology and best practice to improve access to confidential help and advice for parents and carers from local health visitors.”
All the nominees will find out if they have won the prestigious titles at a ceremony on 6 June in Manchester.
Visit the HSJ website for the full list of nominees for the 2024 HSJ Digital Awards.