South Tees and Darlington NHS Trusts win awards for innovation | The Northern Echo

The annual event celebrates the achievements of individuals and teams that have developed innovative ideas, projects or technologies that are helping to improve the care and service provided to patients across the North-East and North Cumbria.

This year’s awards saw 32 finalists in the running for eight categories which focused on key healthcare themes including quality improvement, patient safety, innovative device or technology, early diagnosis and precision medicine, digital innovation, research collaboration, innovation in education and innovation champion.

The winners were announced at the ceremony at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead hosted by TV presenter Kim Inglis.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust won the award for Outstanding Research Collaboration with the NHS for its study directed to the treatment of vascular birthmarks, with the aim of providing significant benefits to both patients and the NHS, with patients requiring fewer repeat treatments and achieving a faster treatment response.

While Ian Dove, Business Development Manager at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, was awarded Innovation Champion for his work with the Trust since 2008.

Throughout this time, he has provided mentorship and guidance to the wider Innovation Team, and has driven forward local Projects, working tirelessly in the development of innovation at the Trust.

Dr Nicola Wesley, Interim Chief Executive Officer at the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC), which organises the awards, said: “This year’s Bright Ideas in Health Awards has further strengthened the view that the North of England is a powerhouse of health innovation.

“The expertise, capability and passion for doing things differently to ultimately benefit patients was showcased by every one of our finalists.”