What a night for Carol Gee, Andrew Wood and Matt Orpin-Hipperson! The trio from Vaughan Thomas Ward, Warneford Hospital, travelled to London last night (Tuesday, June 29) to attend the Health Service Journal Partnership Awards, and came back as winners in two categories: Most Effective Contribution to Patient Safety and HealthTech Partnership of the Year.

Oxford Health shares the Most Effective Contribution prize with Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the technology company Oxehealth, whereas the HealthTech Partnership of the Year was awarded to Oxford Health and Oxehealth.

Oxford Health team with Oxehealth partners Daniel Bayley and Oliver Gibson

Both awards relate to the deployment of the Oxevision observation platform at the acute inpatient Vaughan Thomas Ward at Warneford Hospital. Developed in collaboration with Oxehealth, an Oxford University spin-out, Oxevision enables staff to gather observations from mental health inpatients without waking them at night.

Modern matron Carol Gee, lead research nurse Andrew Wood and consultant psychiatrist Dr Alvaro Barrera have been leading the project, with healthcare assistant Matt Orpin-Hipperson now as a project champion.

Carol Gee said:

“This project is addressing a traditional and what is often considered a ritualistic practice within mental health care. Supportive nursing observations can be a challenge to patient autonomy and dignity, and directly affect sleep and therefore recovery.

“There has been an emphasis on co-production in the project, which has enabled us to recognise service users, carers and clinicians’ values and beliefs and ensure that their experiences are gathered and utilised to inform the project.

“I am proud to work with a team that has embraced research and quality improvement as part of routine clinical practice. These awards are a recognition for the whole team involved and will hopefully inspire others.”

As for the awards shared with the other two trusts, Carol said:

“We are all using the Oxevision sensors in different ways but all in areas to improve patient safety and experience. We are sharing our experience and have helped to inform each other’s projects – the partnership continues to share our work.”