Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has been shortlisted alongside seven others for the Health Service Journal 2016 Awards.
The shortlisting is within the Most Effective Adoption and Diffusion of Best Practice category, for their work in improving clinical outcomes and patient experience for mothers and babies having a caesarean birth.
They achieved their place through the creation of a short YouTube video titled ‘Baby friendly caesarean birth’.
It promotes the effects that skin to skin contact between mother and baby has upon breast feeding rates as well as the optimal timing for clamping the baby’s umbilical cord to prevent neonatal anaemia.
Health Service Journal said the shortlisted entrants demonstrated ‘outstanding practice’ and innovation that helped to improve patient care while enhancing value and sufficiency.
The trust had to overcome ‘fierce competition’ to be shortlisted amongst some of the UK’s leading healthcare providers – such as Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust and Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals.
The well-received video is currently available on YouTube, with comments from viewers describing it as ‘easy to follow’ and ‘informative’, while others said they hoped the ‘sensitively produced’ film will help change practice.
Sarah Gregson, Consultant Midwife for the trust said: “This shortlisting is a real team achievement with midwives, anaesthetists, obstetricians and theatre staff working together to improve the patient experience and clinical outcomes. Ensuring we had a panel of user representatives involved in the project was very important and helped ensure its success”.
A winner within the category will be chosen by a panel of judges on October 17.
