University Hospitals Sussex recently celebrated winning two HSJ Partnership Awards.
The trust was also highly commended for the Healthcare Infrastructure Project of the Year due to its exemplary management of patient and staff transfers into the new Louisa Martindale Building at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.
One of the awards recognised the Best Pharmaceutical Partnership with the NHS, a collaboration involving various NHS Trusts in Oxford, Manchester, and Sheffield, along with pharmaceutical company Lilly UK and research collaborative Dementias Platform UK.
UHSussex consultant neurologist Professor Dennis Chan and clinical nurse specialists Kate Warren and Anna Koniotes are part of a national pilot project aiming to provide more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing.
Organisers believe this project has the potential to revolutionise early Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis nationwide, improving outcomes for more people. Early diagnosis enables patients to make informed decisions, plan ahead, and access appropriate care, including clinical trials.
Professor Chan remarked: “Future drugs with the potential to delay or prevent the onset of dementia will be most effective if given at the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease. At present the gold standard diagnostic tests is CSF testing but access to such tests is available only in a small number of specialised centres such as ours, meaning that only 2% of suitable patients can access this test. The aim of this pilot is to extend test capability to other memory clinics, to address this inequality.”
The second award, the Workforce and Wellbeing Initiative of the Year, was presented for our collaboration with The Bravest Path.
UHSussex has partnered with The Bravest Path for several years, offering both in-person and virtual programmes for our clinical staff.
Tricia Rigby, Head of Clinical Education and Practice Development for Nursing and Midwifery, shared her excitement:
“We were absolutely delighted to join The Bravest Path on stage to receive this award. Through our collaboration, we provide our staff with high-quality, evidence-based programmes designed to develop courageous, compassionate, and connected leaders. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, significantly enhancing staff wellbeing, development, and retention within our organisation. It’s truly fabulous.”
