CW+ Nurse, Midwife and Allied Health Professional Funding Call 2021: Demonstrates innovative thinking to improve patient care and experience

The final of our annual Nurse, Midwife and Allied Health Professional Funding Call took place today, with five finalists presenting their innovative project proposals to a panel of experts including Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for NHS England; Julian Chomet, Research and Communications Officer for Rosetrees Trust; Pippa Nightingale, Chief Nurse for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; and Chris Chaney, Chief Executive of CW+.

The winners of this year’s final were announced as Lauren Trepte, Research Midwife and Natalie Nunes, Obs & Gynae Consultant, who proposed providing women with an alternative pain relief in the form of a VR headset when having gynaecological procedures to lower pain and decrease stress.

The runners-up included a range of innovative ideas that aim to deliver better quality care whilst focusing on improving the patient’s experience.

Leigh Paxton, ICU Matron, presented his idea to introduce an interactive app for ICU patients and relatives that includes interactive content, as well as providing information at key moments in their journey from admission to long-term aftercare.

Another proposal that made it to the shortlist came from Modupe Ogunniya, Ward Sister & Dion Blackler, Clinical Psychologist, to run a ‘Life After Stroke’ programme that supports stroke patients and their families after leaving hospital.

Quality and Lead Radiographer, Hosein Farzanekhoo, proposed providing patients with a colourful and distracting image through projection whilst undergoing CT scans, with the aim of reducing high levels of stress and anxiety.

Finally, Sophie Grant, Clinical Psychologist & Sue Wilson, Clinical Nurse Specialist, proposed a sustainable garden to make staff, children & families smile outside the Child Development Service.

Chris Chaney, Chief Executive at CW+ explains: “The CW+ Nurse, Midwife and Allied Health Professional Funding Call is a highlight that we look forward to every year. While the COVID-19 pandemic has placed unparalleled demands on our staff, this year’s applications demonstrate their determination to develop and improve how we look after our patients and run our hospitals. There has never been a more important time to incorporate innovation into our thinking and we want to continue to build an environment where staff share ideas and are fully supported to bring them to fruition.”

Pippa Nightingale, Chief Nurse at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Trust who led the Dragon’s Den panel says: “Today’s event demonstrates the wealth of innovation and ideas within our fantastic nursing and midwifery team. I feel immensely proud of my colleagues and their commitment to our patients. You are all outstanding!”

Thanks to support from the Rosetrees Trust, all of our finalists will have their projects funded. This special call forms part of our larger grants programme, which awards funding to hospital staff projects which will help them to deliver better patient experience and care and you can find out more here.