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We are delighted to announce that the rapid point of care testing initiative has been shortlisted for the ‘Medicines, Pharmacy & Prescribing Initiative of the Year’ at the HSJ Awards, recognising an outstanding contribution to healthcare and securing a place at the prestigious awards ceremony later this year.

1350+ entries have been received for this year’s Awards, with 234 projects and individuals reaching the final shortlist. The high volume and exceptional quality of applications showcases the impressive levels of innovation and care continually being developed within the UK’s healthcare networks.

Following the thorough judging process, the project was shortlisted, ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held later this year on 21 November.  This is a simple finger pin-prick blood test, usually carried out in GP practices, which identifies if a patient has a viral or bacterial infection within 10 minutes. Distinguishing between viral and potentially more serious bacterial infections can be challenging for clinicians. Patients can be advised to attend emergency care due to deterioration or when uncertainty arises regarding the type of infection. Many patients are also unnecessarily treated with antibiotics for acute respiratory infections. Antibiotic misuse leads to unnecessary adverse events, secondary infections, re-consultations, antimicrobial resistance, and increased costs. The evaluation of point-of-care testing (POCT) in a primary care setting was shown to support clinical decision-making, reduce re-consultation rates, A&E attendances as well as unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions and consequent adverse health effects and expenses.

Dr David Linden, Respiratory Workstream Lead at Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, said: “The excellent work and results from this preliminary study have indicated a POCT is a useful tool to differentiate between bacterial and viral respiratory tract infections, thus support clinical decision making and could also change patient behaviour.

“We are excited to facilitate opportunities to conduct a wider study across Yorkshire and the Humber, and use our network to explore opportunities across adjacent northern regions where the prevalence of respiratory illness and antibiotic use is high, and generate robust and independent real world evidence on the financial impact, patient outcomes and further workforce and system benefits.”

Mohammad Fazlee, Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist at Calderdale Cares Partnership, added: “We are honored to be shortlisted for the HSJ Award in recognition of our efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This achievement is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of our dedicated teams, who are committed to safeguarding the health of our community. Being recognised at this level inspires us to continue our mission with even greater determination. We’re excited to share our journey and insights with others in the field, knowing that together, we can make a lasting impact on public health.”

HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, adds; “It always gives me great pleasure to congratulate our finalists at this stage of the judging process and this year is no exception as we acknowledge Calderdale Cares Partnership, NHS West Yorkshire ICB, and Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber and  for being shortlisted in the category of ‘Medicines, Pharmacy & Prescribing Initiative of the Year’. “However, it’s always important to remember that the HSJ Awards are not just a celebration of success stories but also a platform to shape the future of the NHS.

“We can’t wait to welcome our finalists to the awards ceremony in November and to recognise and applaud such impressive achievements across the sector. Huge thanks also go to our headline partner, Vodafone Business, who share our mission of driving the standard of healthcare excellence and creating better patient experiences.”

The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Evolution London on 21^st November 2024.

The event will not only reflect the HSJ Awards’ enduring ethos of “sharing best practice, improving patient outcomes and innovating drivers of better service” but will also serve as a timely and well-deserved thank you to the sector.

The 2024 awards judging panel was once again made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, including; Stephen Powis, National Medical Director, NHS England, Rosa Waddingham, Chief Nurse, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB and Matthew Style, Director General, Secondary Care and Integration Department of Health & Social Care, as well as a range of esteemed Chief Executives from NHS Trusts across the UK.

The full list of nominees for the 2024 HSJ awards can be found at https://awards.hsj.co.uk/ alongside details of the Awards partners at https://awards.hsj.co.uk/partners