Health researchers and innovators from around Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and South Cumbria were celebrated at an NHS awards event.
The North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards recognised outstanding work to improve health and care and find new and innovative ways to deliver services.
A record number of 180 nominations were received, giving judges a tough job to decide winners in 12 categories, announced in an event at Edge Hill University’s Rose Theatre.
BBC North West Tonight presenter Roger Johnson hosted the event, which was also live-streamed to supporters and well-wishers.
Several awards recognised work carried out to combat COVID-19, such as the introduction of a digital staff ‘passport’ to enable speedy recruitment during the pandemic, by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, winning the Workforce Deployment Award.
A team at the University of Liverpool won the Innovation in Patient Safety Award for their work on COVID-19 drug interactions – identifying the impact of vaccines when combined with other treatments, to prevent adverse reactions.
A project involving Everton in the Community, the Tate Liverpool and Edge Hill University, ‘Tackling the blues’ won the award for addressing health inequalities.
The event was organised by the Innovation Agency; NIHR Clinical Research Network North West Coast (CRN NWC); and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC).
In a video message, Matt Whitty, NHS England Director of Innovation, Research and Life Sciences said: “Congratulations to all the finalists and winners in the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards. We need research so we can keep bringing the best new ideas to patients more quickly and the more research that’s done in the UK, the more translatable the results of that research.
“We’ve seen through Covid that we’ve got brand new vaccines and brand new treatments for Covid and we have got huge amounts of innovation right across the NHS; it is fantastic to see all your innovations.”
Innovation Agency Chief Executive Dr Phil Jennings said: “It was great to pay tribute to colleagues who have worked tirelessly during very demanding times and have had an amazing impact through research and innovation. Everyone shortlisted was a winner, we heard about brilliant work in hospitals, GP practices, across systems and in local communities.”
Professor Mark Gabbay, Director of ARC NWC, said: “Collaboration has been key to delivering so many of the initiatives we have celebrated with the awards. The region’s population will continue to benefit from many of the research projects featured for years to come.
“The awards are a reminder of how lucky we are to have people with amazing skills and talent, who can come together and deliver pioneering research and innovation across the North West Coast.”
Professor Enitan Carrol, Clinical Director of the Clinical Research Network: North West Coast, said: “It is wonderful to see the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards back after a two-year absence. The finalists represent some of the best achievements by health and care staff, patients and public, showing how research and innovation can help improve the health and wellbeing of the communities in our region. Congratulations to all who were shortlisted.”
