‘Making Magic with Bubbles and Butterflies – Doing What Matters’ – Patient Experience Network National Awards (PENNA) 2019

The Patient Experience Network National Awards celebrations have gone online.

This Pandemic delayed celebration has a virtual format now which will run over a week starting on Monday 14 September. Each shortlisted entry will be given time to present their project and every attendee a greater opportunity to network and dig deeper into patient and staff experience in action.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust has been shortlisted into two categories: “Turning it around” and “Personalisation of Care”.

This will see Ward 2’s entry get a chance to present their project of ‘Making Magic with Bubbles and Butterflies – Doing What Matters’.

Some of the changes and approaches, led by Aaron Bate, Katie Follows and their team, were:

• New change of leadership for the ward – the trust took a risk and appointed a mental health nurse as ward manager for an acute medical ward
• New ways of thinking – The core value of the ward was agreed as “the patient is the centre of everything we do” and that the most important quality indicator was how someone “felt” about being on the ward
• Shared Leadership – No top down management, leadership at all levels. All staff empowered to lead new projects and implement own ideas.

Some of the great things that came about from this Patient Experience Improvement Project are the “What matters to me” boards, themed ward parties and so much more to go above and beyond to make patients feel they are listened to and that they matter.

Congratulations on being shortlisted Ward 2 and good luck!

Louise Mabley, Lead Patient Experience and Voluntary Service said: “The creative and innovative approach taken by Ward 2 has certainly made a huge difference to patient experience on the ward. The ward continues to keep that momentum and has managed to sustain the changes, well done and good luck with the awards.”