Triple whammy as RJAH in the running for three NOA Awards
A trio of initiatives at Shropshire’s specialist orthopaedic hospital have been hailed as finalists in prestigious new awards which aim to celebrate those working in orthopaedics across the country.
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) - who are founding members of the National Orthopaedic Alliance (NOA) - have been shortlisted three times in the inaugural NOA Excellence in Orthopaedics Awards.
The NOA are a membership organisation that leads on collaboration, by bringing together orthopaedic providers across the country to share experiences and address shared challenges with an aim of delivering consistent, high-quality care for patients.
The RJAH Green Plan has been shortlisted in the Working Towards Net Zero – Greener NHS category, while the myrecovery project – electronic data collection and supporting patients with self-management, was named a finalist in the Patient Engagement – Support Patients Wellbeing category.
The final shortlisted entry was for the Path of Positivity in the Staff Wellbeing Initiative category.
Sian Langford, Facilities Manager and Sustainability Lead at the Oswestry-based hospital, was part of the team who worked on the Green Plan.
She said: “The Green Plan outlines how we, as an organisation, can care for patients, staff and finances in the most sustainable way possible.
“This initiative has been a huge team effort, and I’m delighted we have been shortlisted in the NOA Awards.”
Sammy Davies, Quality Outcomes Manager, is leading the myrecovery project at RJAH. She said: “myrecovery is an app for patients to give them access to information such as videos, articles and exercises to help them manage their condition and track progress.
“It also supports staff at RJAH when collecting and reporting data, allowing us to get a better understanding of treatment outcomes.
“This is just the start of rolling out myrecovery across our patients and it’s fantastic that we’ve been recognised.”
The Path of Positivity was built on the hospital field back in 2021, following an idea first instigated by Kate Betts, Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Technician. The path then became reality when the RJAH Charity received a portion of funds from Captain Sir Tom Moore’s fundraising for the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kate said: “I was absolutely thrilled when I found out the path was shortlisted in the NOA Awards. Our hospital field has always been stunning, the path has enabled not only staff, but also patients and their families, to spend more time outdoors.
“The path wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the League of Friends and our Estates Department.”
The NOA Excellence in Orthopaedics Awards recognise NOA member organisations, projects and teams that have distinguished themselves through exemplary contributions, influence, and commitment to transforming services across orthopaedics – both clinically and non-clinically.
Stacey Keegan, Chief Executive at RJAH, said: “It’s great to see so many fantastic initiatives in the Trust shortlisted in the NOA Excellence in Orthopaedics Awards – they are all so deserving.
“I wish them the very best of luck at the ceremony and I look forward to joining them on the night.”
Winners will be unveiled in a glittering ceremony on Wednesday 19 October.
