The Lambeth Living Well Collaborative should be proud that its work was recognised in this year’s Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards, says Denis O’Rourke, Commissioner and member of the Collaborative – NHS Lambeth Clinical Commissioning Group’s mental health flagship.
Denis believes the Collaborative was a strong contender for the Innovation in Mental Health category because, “innovation can be a way forward when services are financially challenged”.
This was a sentiment reflected in the opening remarks of HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, at an elaborate award ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, on November 18.
The awards were a celebration which, “feels all the more important during challenging years”, he said, “an important reminder that, in spite of the difficulties, those working in the health service are dedicated to delivering the best possible care”.
The Collaborative nomination was one of 23 categories in what has become the annual celebration of healthcare’s best for three decades. The event, hosted by broadcaster Clare Balding drew a record 1,603 entries.
The Collaborative was a strong contender for the award. It addressed the austere times, illustrating how investment in frontline primary care and people’s assets can curtail costly secondary services. In its presentation on why it should win the award it outlined the Collaborative approach on
– co-designing and co-delivery whole system change
– a strong and committed collaborative platform
– and, improving people’s lives for the better.
Says Denis: “The HSJ awards are in part an acknowledgement that whilst we are all financially challenged there’s still a lot we can do to improve services through innovation. The Lambeth Collaborative submission highlighted the value of collaboration across the whole system to meet better outcomes for people. We should proud that our work was recognised.”
Winning entry
The Innovation in Mental Health award was won by Haringey Adolescent Outreach Team at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust and Partners for its Time 2 Talk project – raising awareness about emotional wellbeing and challenging mental health stigma in a whole school approach.
The project used personal case studies, drama, film making, teaching and peer support to tackle mental ill health issues. The Boy in the Mask film provided a framework for the development of lesson plans for a module about mental health and emotional wellbeing for year 9 and 10 students.
Mentors were then chosen to support the emotional wellbeing of their peers; training and guidance was developed for staff and parents; and a mental health policy was developed for the whole school. The trust said the project had much to offer other schools, and showed the potential of empowering young people.
The Innovation in Mental Health category finalists were:
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust – Support, hope and recovery online network for eating disorders
Big White Wall – Big White Wall digital mental wellbeing service
Central and North West London Foundation Trust – Mental health street triage service
Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership Trust – WellMind app
Halton Clinical Commissioning Group, Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group, Cheshire Police and 5 Boroughs Partnership – Operation Emblem
Lambeth Clinical Commissioning Group – Lambeth Living Well Collaborative
Nene Clinical Commissioning Group and Corby Clinical Commissioning Group – Northamptonshire mental health stigma programme
Oxleas Foundation Trust – HeadScape: supporting children’s wellbeing
Six Degrees Social Enterprise CIC – New roots in dementia care
Worcestershire Health and Care Trust – Supporting health and promoting exercise (SHAPE) project for young people with psychosis and bipolar disorder
For more information visit http://awards.hsj.co.uk
Karen Hooper