NHS Midlands and Lancashire (NHS ML) is thrilled to share that our project to reduce mortality in people with learning disabilities and epilepsy has been shortlisted for Learning Disabilities Initiative of the Year at this year’s HSJ Patient Safety Awards. These awards recognise safety culture and positive experience in patient care, celebrating the worthy finalists on a national scale.

The project

Working on behalf of NHS England Midlands, NHS ML joined forces with national experts at University of Plymouth, Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust, SUDEP Action, and Epilepsy Action, among others to spearhead a highly successful regional improvement programme to tackle the pressing issue of premature avoidable death amongst people with learning disabilities and autism living with epilepsy. The partnership worked closely with 11 integrated care systems across the Midlands, supporting them to mobilise partners in a whole-system approach to improvement.

The programme was inspired by the story of Clive Treacey who was an individual with a learning disability and who suffered from complex epilepsy. He spent much of his life moving between care providers and sadly died aged 47. In the resulting review, The Clive Treacey – Independent Review, a breadth of opportunities was identified for learning from Clive’s life, with over fifty recommendations for system-wide improvement at a local, regional and national level.

Through the implementation of a tailored self-assessment tool and guided by lived experience and specialist expertise, NHS ML and partners helped systems establish a shared understanding of service delivery, workforce capacity, and capability, and generated evidence-based improvement plans. The programme works to support a reduction in avoidable deaths, health inequalities, and hospital admissions, providing a framework for ongoing evaluation.

A recent webinar explored the topic further.

The awards

A record-breaking 515 entries were received for the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2023. The judging panel was made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community. At this first stage of judging, the shortlist was set against three clear criteria: clinical and specialist excellence, enacting organisation-wide change and service/system innovation.

Following our shortlisting, the official awards ceremony will be held on 18 September in Manchester, as a highlight during the HSJ’s annual two-day Patient Safety Congress.

Hafsha Ali, Managing Consultant at NHS ML Digital Transformation – Transforming Care, said:

“We are hugely proud to have been shortlisted for this award and humbled at the support we have encountered for this improvement programme from all our partners and, of course, Elaine – Clive’s sister.

“The recognition of being finalist at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2023 is the awareness boost that this issue requires, and I am thrilled that we have been given this platform to further share our findings and encourage the implementation of more improvement programmes to reduce avoidable deaths, health inequalities, and hospital admissions, across the country.”

In response to the shortlisting Elaine Clarke, sister of Clive Treacey, said:

“We, Clive’s entire family, have the privilege of carrying his love and now a legacy he would be so proud of within our hearts forever. We will forever be grateful and proud for the continuing dedication of so many who have supported and remain committed to Clive’s Way.  We could never have never imagined that Clive would help to galvanise a movement across all health and social care settings in the Midlands and beyond to create capable communities keeping people with learning disabilities and epilepsy safe and living well”.

The full list of finalists for the 2023 HSJ Patient Safety Awards can be found at https://awards.patientsafetycongress.co.uk/shortlist-2023.

Winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Manchester Central, on 18 September 2023.