COPD colleagues in running for national award Colleagues in County Health Partnerships (CHP) have been shortlisted for a national award. A team from CHP has been working closely with GP practices and primary care colleagues on a project to improve the standard of management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) patients within primary care in Mansfield and Ashfield. Now, the project has been shortlisted for The General Practice Awards 2012 in the ‘Clinical Team – Respiratory’ category. The project is a joint venture with NHS Improvement Lung and the project group includes representation from primary, secondary and community care. The thinking behind the project is that if patients with COPD receive excellent primary care they will be less likely to need expensive emergency treatment. The work currently involves three local practices that will become COPD ‘beacon’ practices. These beacon practices will then work with the project team to further progress the project and create a best practice guide for the primary care management of COPD patients. The team hopes to eventually roll out the guide to all practices within Mansfield and Ashfield. The project team was shortlisted from hundreds of applications for the awards. Award winners were to be announced at a ceremony on 1 November (after we went to print). Congratulations to everyone involved.
What’s your story? Do you have a story about your experiences of recovering from mental ill health? Could your story help inspire hope in others? Would you like to share your story with others? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, then we want to hear from you. We are developing a website that will offer people hope, information and support while recovering from mental
ill health. We’re looking for long or short stories, photos, artwork and poems to use on the site. We’re particularly looking for contributions that will inspire hope in others as we want to share content that people can relate to and gain something from. If you’d like to share your story please contact any of the following people for more information, or simply send us your contribution:
n Welcome
Shirley Smith Shirley Smith has joined Health Partnerships on a 12-month secondment from NHS Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group. Shirley began in her new role of Associate Director for Clinical Strategy and Service Redesign on 1 October. She will play a key role in supporting localities to develop their strategies, plans and new service offerings in support of emerging commissioning intentions and Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s application for Foundation Trust status. “There is growing recognition that strong community services are vital to a strong health economy which delivers for patients and carers of all ages,” said Paul Smeeton, Chief Operating Executive for Health Partnerships. “Shirley was instrumental in commissioning these services in Nottingham City and is now bringing her experience to us in the Trust. She will be able to help us continue to develop new services with our primary care, acute trust and local authority colleagues as well as with patients and carers themselves. I am delighted she has joined us.” Shirley Smith
• Becky Cassidy, Rosewood Involvement Centre. Tel 01623 835 210 or email becky. cassidy@nottshc.nhs.uk • Jason Rungapadiachy, Early Intervention in Psychosis, Newark & Sherwood. Tel 01636 670 600 or email jason.rungapadiachy@ nottshc.nhs.uk • Andy Ambler, Assertive Outreach, Mansfield & Ashfield. Tel 01623 785 716 or email andrew. ambler@nottshc.nhs.uk
Positive November 2012
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