News
North West NHS Trust Wins £2000 in National Innovation Awards
Winner of the TrusTECH North West NHS Innovation Awards, Mark Holland (Consultant Nurse, Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust) has now gained recognition for his educational booklets as ‘runner up’ in the National Technology Awards.
Developed in collaboration with Lifeline Publications, the series of booklets support people with mental illness who have misused alcohol or illicit drugs and fulfil a huge unmet need to help patients and their carers better understand the condition. The booklets were one of 30 innovations nominated by the innovation hubs for the national awards and won £2000 as runner up in the publications and media category. The money will be used to further develop the innovation.
Mark Holland explains: “Due to the often chaotic lifestyles of these individuals and
their poor tolerance to the health service, it was particularly important to address this need.” The booklets, which are based on a research study conducted by the Trust, provide an illustrated story line that conveys the direct experiences of 70 participants (clients and healthcare professionals).
The booklets were first published in January and already 30,000 have been distributed worldwide. Several other NHS Trusts have started using the booklets to support their services.
Dr Richard Deed, TrusTECH Innovation Unit Manager, said: “The series has undergone validation and the illustrations, in particular, work really well. Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust has provided an excellent solution in a difficult area. ”
TrusTECH, the North West NHS innovation hub, provides an innovation management service for Trusts across the North West. It helps facilitate the development of diagnostic technologies, medical devices and equipment, software, training materials,
etc.
The principal barrier to the development and availability of NHS innovations is often time. Where commercialisation is an appropriate route, TrusTECH takes projects forward on behalf of a Trust as far as possible (e.g. negotiations with commercial partners, drawing up legal agreements). This frees up the NHS employee to concentrate on their job with input to the project focusing on the technical aspects. TrusTECH can also help to share innovative services with proven benefits and best practice with other Trusts in the region through its Service Innovation Scheme.
A proof of concept fund (up to £25,000), to further the development of Trusts’ product innovations, and a bursary (up to £5000), to promote the adoption of service innovations with proven benefits by other Trusts, are available from TrusTECH.
For further information about the booklets click here (pdf 486kb).