Award winning services for people of Wakefield

Three Wakefield-based South West Yorkshire Mental Health Trust services have been nominated for prestigious local awards.

The West Yorkshire Modernisation awards recognise and reward the success of NHS staff across the West Yorkshire area in improving services for local people.

The following services have been shortlisted:

Rapid Access Service An older people’s mental health service providing a single point of contact for referrals. The service also includes a one-stop assessment with rapid access to medical, nursing and therapy staff as well as an intensive home treatment service, short-term day treatment and a liaison service provided by hospitals and care homes.

Falls Risk Assessment Tool and Guidelines A falls screening tool developed for use in the patient’s own environment. The tool helps to identify patient’s individual health or social needs and makes significant changes to the way risks are identified; diagnoses made and plans of action put in place to ensure appropriate care.

Wakefield Memory Service The service provides a framework for assessing, diagnosing and treating people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease with anti-dementia drugs. The service places greatest focus on home assessments and there is also access to a family support officer. Service users and carers meet regularly to promote support networks and share information and positive coping skills.

Each of the shortlisted applicants will be visited by a judging panel and the winning projects will receive £1000 to reinvest in their projects. The judges decisions will be announced in an awards ceremony presented by Calendar News Programme’s Duncan Wood at Leeds United Football Club on Friday 24 March 06