Published on: 6 July 2021
The ‘DAB111’ project (direct access booking via the 111 number into urgent and emergency care), implemented by the Medway and Swale Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), has been awarded ‘Best Acute Sector Partnership with the NHS’ at the HSJ Partnership Awards 2021.
Following an extensive judging process, undertaken by a wide range of well-respected figures from across the UK healthcare community, Medway and Swale ICP has been awarded this prestigious award in recognition of its outstanding contribution to healthcare over what has been a difficult and challenging 15 months.
The NHS 111 Direct Access Booking initiative, which was introduced by Medway and Swale ICP in the autumn of 2020, is an improved and easy way for people to use urgent care services, with 111 being the first port of call for urgent care and having the ability to book in directly to urgent care services.
The judges said they were particularly impressed with the speed at which the team were able to come together, providing clear evidence that there was true co-development of the solution to serve the local population, which could not have been achieved in isolation. They added that the initiative is an exemplar of collaboration and partnership working which should be rolled out to all local delivery systems.
On being awarded this accolade, Martin Riley, Senior Responsible Officer for the ICP and Managing Director for Medway Community Healthcare comments:
“I am so proud of the team for working together to make sure we could provide the best possible care in a completely unprecedented time. This award highlights the work and dedication that the team showed, and continues to show for our patients.”
Dr George Findlay, Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said:
‘’We are delighted to have played a major role in the successful launch of the DAB111 project, in collaboration with teams across the system in Medway and Swale. ’Our colleagues have worked together and embraced new technology – at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – to create this new and improved pathway for our patients who require emergency treatment. Congratulations to everyone involved.’’
The editor of the Health Service Journal and host of the awards evening, Alastair McLellan, offered his congratulations to the teams on their success:
“The entrants this year have once again been of the highest calibre, and each of the winners at the HSJ Partnership Awards have been chosen based on their outstanding commitment to innovation and collaboration in healthcare, I’d like to offer my congratulations to Medway and Swale ICP on winning ‘Best Acute Sector Partnership with the NHS’ at this year’s HSJ Partnership Awards.”
The Winners were announced during the first “in-person” awards ceremony hosted by HSJ, since the gradual easing of Covid-19 restrictions. The evening celebrated projects showcasing collaboration and innovation between private organisations and charities with the NHS at the Evolution London on 29th June.
Find out more about the HSJ Partnership Awards >
About Medway and Swale ICP
The Medway and Swale Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) is a local partnership between numerous health and social care partners. It supports the development of better integrated health and care services in Medway and Swale in line with the principles outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019.
About DAB111
DAB (which was initially piloted in London, Portsmouth and Cornwall) enables patients to call NHS 111 and be triaged to determine the best place for them to be seen, whether that is the Urgent Treatment Centre at their local acute or community hospital, a minor injury unit, or an urgent appointment with a GP. The system uses more specialist clinicians - such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists and paramedics, to give advice.
Patients are given an appointment/timed slot for attendance at urgent care services, improving the patient experience, reducing wait time, and ensuring patients are directed to the right place to receive the most appropriate care at the right time.
Medway and Swale was the first joint area to implement DAB 111, before being followed by the rest of Kent in recent months.