Hywel Dda Health Board Wins NHS Wales Award

The innovative project won the Promoting Better Health and Avoiding Disease category of the Awards which were announced in a ceremony at the All Nations Centre, Cardiff this afternoon.

 

The NHS Wales Awards are presented to organisations that have showed innovation, best practice and achievement in healthcare to improve the care and services provided to patients across Wales.

 

Dr Atir Khan, who led the weight management project, said, "The award ceremony makes us very proud to be part of the NHS in Wales and I would like to also congratulate all those involved, including Claire Jones, Clinical Lead Dietitian, Zoe Paul-Gough Head of Nutrition and Dietetic Services and Dr Donna Schelewa, Consultant Clinical Psychologist.  It is a great recognition of our work and it gives us stimulus to give more in the future. It's fantastic to be rewarded for the hard work and the fact that we had the help of the community has invigorated us." 

 

Dr Donna Schelewa, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on the project, stated “We are thrilled with the All Wales NHS Award for our work, which clearly demonstrates the importance of including formal psychological assessments and interventions in the multi-disciplinary approach to changing unhealthy lifestyles in order to promote good health and prevent disease.”

 

NHS Wales Awards judges praised the health board for the establishment of a unique clinic to tackle obesity by providing medical, dietary and psychological support.

 

More than 60% of people in Carmarthenshire are classed as overweight with 21% obese and there was need to improve services to help people lose weight and reduce their risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease.

 

Previous dietary care offered to patients had not always been successful with a high level of people dropping out and appointments often infrequent.

 

A survey of patients who had accessed the dietetic service showed that the majority of those questioned wanted more frequent follow-up and support.

 

In response to this, staff decided to develop a clinic that would offer the support of a medical consultant, specialist weight management dietitian and a consultant clinical psychologist.

 

Patients were given an initial assessment with all three specialists, a treatment plan agreed and fortnightly follow-up appointments put in place.

 

In the first six months of the new clinic, 13 patients attended with no drop out compared to a previous 50% drop out rate with the usual care.

 

Ten out of the 13 patients lost weight, with six of these patients managing a clinically significant weight loss.

 

Around 62% of patients required intensive psychological support which helped them to improve the control of their eating patterns, reduce levels of emotional stress and improve their self-perception of their shape and size.

 

Judging the award, Kate Watkins, Director of the Welsh NHS Employers’ Unit, said, “This exciting project developed from the recognition by a group of staff that there was a significant health problem in their locality.

 

“Very impressively, they have sought the evidence for a solution, taken that evidence and used it to create the effective outcome of enabling patients to lose weight and reduce their risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

 

“This is the only clinic of its type in Wales and the work should be applauded.”

 

Chief Executive for Hywel Dda Local Health Board Trevor Purt, said: “I’d like to extend my congratulations to all those involved with the weight management programme for their hard work and dedication to improving services for their patients.

 

“Promoting health improvement through tackling the lifestyle factors which increase the risk of ill health and chronic conditions including obesity, smoking and excess alcohol consumption is a key objective for Hywel Dda.  As a part of this, the Health Board has recently made the commitment to our population to help 12,000 people lose weight over the next three years so it is fantastic that the innovative work already taking place to help patients in the long-term is getting the recognition it deserves at a national level.”

 

More than 130 entries were received to this year’s NHS Wales Awards and the judging panel had a tough task in deciding on the eventual winners of the six award categories.

Ends

 

 

NHS Wales Chief Executive David Sissling, who presented the awards this   afternoon, said, “The NHS Awards recognise the innovative work that is being done by our healthcare staff every day to ensure we provide the best possible care for patients.

 

"The high quality of the entries is an impressive reflection of the professionalism of   our staff and their commitment to safe, efficient and compassionate care.

 

“These are excellent examples of best practice which will be shared across Wales.   They are a tribute to all staff involved."

 

The NHS Wales Awards were launched in 2008 to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the NHS.

 

National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (NLIAH) Director Dr Alan Willson, who leads the NHS Wales Awards, said that the standard of the winning work demonstrates world class ambitions and achievements.

 

He said, “The NHS Wales Awards are a great opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate good practice that has helped to transform health care.

 

“The high standard of winning work from across Wales demonstrates that patients    are benefiting from well designed and successful improvements to give them the best possible experience and outcome.

 

“This is the fourth year that we have held these important Awards and it is inspiring   to hear about yet more examples of excellent healthcare continuing to be developed and delivered right here in Wales.”

Am ragor o wybodaeth, neu i dderbyn y datganiad hwn yn Gymraeg, cysylltwch ag:

 

For further information, or to receive this press release in Welsh, please contact: