West Suffolk Hospital estates and facilities team shortlisted in national awards

The estates and facilities team at the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for three awards at the Health Estates and Facilities Management Association’s (HEFMA) awards 2018.

 

The HEFMA awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding efforts and achievements demonstrated by NHS estates and facilities teams throughout the past year. Of the six award categories available members of the West Suffolk Hospital’s estates and facilities team have been shortlisted for:

·         Project of the year

·         Efficiency and improvement award

·         Individual development award

Jacqui Grimwood, estates and facilities development manager, and the project team at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT), have been nominated in the project of the year category for heading up the Quince House development at the West Suffolk Hospital site. Quince House is a two-storey building which houses the new sterile services department (SSD) and administration functions for the hospital, freeing up valuable clinical space in the main hospital building.

 

The hospital’s SSD plays a vital role in cleaning and sterilising medical and surgical equipment. It processes on average around 96,000 sets of equipment each year, serving West Suffolk Hospital’s wards, clinics and operating theatres, Newmarket Community Hospital and local GPs. The new facility has increased capacity, and has improved efficiency due to its proximity to the main hospital theatres.

 

Brodrick Pooley, catering manager at WSFT, has been nominated for the efficiency and improvement award for his work launching a smartphone app which allows patients and visitors to access current and future menus, nutritional and dietary information, images of food to help with menu selections, and allows patients the opportunity to provide real time feedback via an online survey. WSFT is one of only a few Trusts in the country to provide this.

 

Hannah Sharland, estates and facilities project manager at WSFT, was nominated for the individual development award for achieving excellence in education and in the workplace. Over the past five years, Hannah has gained both a foundation degree and a first class honours construction management degree, while juggling work 30 hours a week and being a mum to two young children!

 

Craig Black, director of resources at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The hard work of all our staff within the estates and facilities department improves and protects the services we are able to offer to patients.

 

“At WSFT we are lucky to have so many great individuals and teams who not only maintain the vast estate that we currently have, but are keen to maximise and develop our services and buildings to strive for improvement.

 

“Although these are roles that can sometimes be overlooked in the NHS, without our estates and facilities colleagues the hospital just couldn’t run effectively.

 

The finalists will be invited to the Gala Awards Dinner which takes place as part of the HEFMA Leadership Forum on the 10 May 2018, in the Cotswold Water Park Hotel, Gloucestershire.