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We were proud to sponsor this year’s the NHS in the North Excellence in Supply Awards 2021. The awards celebrate inspiring collaborations across the North which have helped patients and NHS staff cope with the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was staged on an online platform which offered the chance for NHS buyers and suppliers to talk informally before the ceremony.

We are pleased that one of these prestigious awards – NHS Champion in Support of Procurement Award – went to Hayley Lockwood of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Digital Team. She was nominated for leading work to roll out a system of video consultation software across the four ICS regions in the North East and Yorkshire region which enabled better communication between patients and clinicians.

Hayley Lockwood, Digital Project Manager for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, said: “I was delighted to be shortlisted for this award and was over the moon to win it. The news is still sinking in. Thank you so much to the judges, presenters, sponsors and everyone else that was involved in making the Excellence in Supply awards such a success. Improving and delivering the best possible patient service is at the heart of everything we do.

“I am honoured to have my work recognised as it means so much to me, and there are many others who deserve to share this award. Thank you to all my colleagues and those who helped to ensure video consultation was available to our NHS services.”

The awards were hosted by Dr Phil Jennings, Chief Executive of the Innovation Agency, who said the event represented an ideal way of celebrating innovation and collaboration: “It was an honour to present the eleventh Excellence in Supply Awards.

“Many of those nominated were fantastic examples of overcoming hurdles despite the challenges of the past year. We, and our fellow northern AHSNs who have kindly supported the event, are ideally placed to support our partners in the NHS and industry. As our keynote speaker Sir Jim Mackey commented, innovative solutions that can be quickly adopted will be increasingly vital as we aim to spread benefits to patients and within our regional economies.”

Keynote speaker Sir Jim Mackey, the Chief Executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Chairman of the NHS Customer Board for Procurement and Supply and a former head of NHS Improvement, paid tribute to suppliers who stepped up to help the NHS during the pandemic.

He said: “We really do need to try and maintain the freedom of mind and a desire to innovate and collaborate.”

A full list of winners is below:

1. Innovation Award – The Medication Support Company The company created a pharmacist-led telehealth service employed across health and social care to help patients take their medicines correctly. 

2. Patient Experience Award – Health Call Solutions. When COVID-19 took hold the rollout of the digital technology adoption project for County Durham’s care homes was delivered almost a year sooner than originally planned.

3. Small Business Award – Cievert In just three weeks during the pandemic Cievert developed a system to allow vaccinations to begin by building a digital platform capable of taking direct online bookings.

4. Support Services Award – MyKitCheck. North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust worked with MyKitCheck to drastically improve the recording of storage and checking of equipment.

5. NHS Procurement Outstanding Contribution Award – Simon Bennett of the NHS Lancashire Procurement Cluster. 

6. NHS Champion in Support of Procurement Award – Hayley Lockwood, of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate ICS Digital Team

7. NHS Procurement Transformation Award – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

8. Supplier of the Year Award – Health Call Solutions

Mick Guymer, Chair of the NHS Northern Customer Board, said: “This year all of us in the NHS have worked to combat the effects of the pandemic and it’s heartening to see these awards recognise inspirational examples of businesses, third sector organisations and the NHS working together. I send my congratulations to the winners but everyone involved really deserves recognition for their sterling work in often adverse situations.

“These awards are my final act as Chair of the Northern Procurement Customer Board as my eight-year term has come to an end. My best wishes to all involved in the EIS Awards and to the incoming Chair Jonathan Wood.”

Watch the awards ceremony in full here

Sir Jim Mackey’s keynote speech can be seen here

The full virtual awards exhibition can be viewed here

All three NHS award winners will go through to the Health Care Supply Association annual conference and exhibition to be held in Harrogate in November.