 |
Press release: NHS celebrates innovation in reducing workplace back injuries among staff26 Apr 2006 An innovative project to reduce musculoskeletal strain and injury among NHS staff working in hospital operating theatres has this week been recognised in the national Back in Work Awards. The Back Care Advisory Team at the Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust last night scooped three prizes in the annual awards for its work in reducing injuries among theatre staff when they are moving patients sideways from beds to operating trolleys or tables. By introducing a new type of lifting equipment, the team was able to reduce back and other manual handling injuries among staff. The project was so successful in reducing staff injury and sickness that it has since been rolled out across the trust. Two further prizes, including the overall Grand Prix award, went to University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust for its work in making safer manual handling practices a key part of daily life for staff. The trust was formed in 2000 with the merger of three acute hospitals in Leicester, each with its own approach to manual handling. The resulting manual handling service suffered from lack of resources and clarity. In response, the team drew up a five year plan with attention focused mainly on training and risk assessment. As a result, the team has reduced the number of reported manual handling incidents among staff by almost a third. Presenting the awards last night at the national HR in the NHS conference in Birmingham, John Rostill, chairman of NHS Employers and chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Back problems and musculoskeletal disorders remain a major cause of sickness and absence in the NHS. The NHS Employers Back in Work campaign is part of an endeavor to tackle this. The campaign is aimed at emphasizing the importance of reducing back pain and musculoskeletal disorders in all staff groups and encouraging NHS employers to be proactive in managing problems." University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust won the Most Improved Service and Grand Prix categories. The Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust won the Joined-up Working Practices, Evidence of Problem Solving and Innovative Programmes and Ideas categories. It's the second year in a row that the Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust has won a prize in the Back in Work Awards. Last year it took the top prize for its overall integrated and comprehensive approach to reducing musculoskelelal injuries among staff. NHS Employers occupational health policy lead Mary Newsome said: "Occupational health is one of the most important services provided in the NHS. That's because the occupational health team looks after the health and welfare of the NHS' most precious asset - its staff. If staff are fit and healthy, then they can get on with doing what they do best, which is looking after their patients." Nick Howlett, manual handling service leader at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this award. The team has worked extremely well, particularly over the last five years, and has been an effective force in promoting safer handling. This award is an appropriate recognition of that work. I'm extremely proud of what we have achieved and proud of the team, who have put in an awful lot of hard work." Judy Green, Back Care Principal Adviser at The Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust said: "We were surprised but thrilled to win an award again. When you introduce something new, you always get a bit of resistance from people to start with. But we were really pleased with the staff response to our project. We hadn't intended to roll it out so quickly through the trust, but when staff in other parts of the trust saw the new equipment in the theatre, they came to us and asked if they could use it too." Notes for editors
Contact detailsThe press office provides a comprehensive service to keep journalists informed about the work of NHS Employers. If you have a media enquiry, please contact the press office team:
For out of hours media enquiries, please contact the duty press officer on 07880 500726. Last reviewed 27 Apr 2006 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
