UHCW has been placed in the running for two prestigious national prizes.

Patient Tracker and Operation Shield: Coventry’s COVID-19 Response to Highest Risk Patients have been shortlisted for Health Service Journal (HSJ) Value Awards.

They are in the running in the Digital Clinical Transformation and the HSJ Value Award of the Year categories respectively.

Patient Tracker is an easy to use clinical delivery software tool aiding in the effective management of patients in research studies and clinical trials.

It was adapted and rolled out across the West Midlands to support the Recovery Trial, which aimed to identify treatments that may be beneficial for people hospitalised with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

The Trial helped to show that Dexamethasone medication worked, potentially saving one in 25 COVID-19 patients on oxygen.

Lead Nurse Nicolas Aldridge, who helped develop Patient Tracker, said: “We are extremely proud to be finalists for such a prestigious award and have the opportunity to showcase the fantastic work happening in Research and Development at UHCW.”

Operation Shield was rapidly put together to reduce unnecessary hospital visits and ensure phlebotomy services for patients shielding from COVID-19 could continue.

Working in partnership with Coventry City Council and Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to share data, more than 25,000 patients were identified. Five pop-up phlebotomy clinics were opened in community locations, the first within three weeks of the idea being conceived.

This gave the option of a safe site for shielding patients who could travel for blood tests, while helping to preserve home phlebotomy visits for the most vulnerable.

Consultant Rheumatologist Alec Price-Forbes said: “Being shortlisted is testament to the commitment and tireless hard work of the small project team, the phlebotomy team, supported by the specialties, to protect and support some of the most vulnerable patients in our care.”

The judging panel comprised a range of highly regarded figures across the NHS and healthcare sector.

A second stage of judging takes place in April with the winners set to be announced at a ceremony at Manchester Central Convention Complex in June.

(Pictured: Lead Nurse Nicolas Aldridge, Digital and Data Delivery Manager Jason Allen and Consultant Rheumatologist Alec Price-Forbes)