Airedale NHS Trust has landed two major accolades at the 2007 Yorkshire Productivity Awards for its ground-breaking work in implementing “lean” policies and practices to dramatically cut waiting times at Airedale General Hospital, Steeton.
At the ceremony, Airedale NHS Trust was chosen as the best Healthcare Lean Performance organisation, while Sue Speak, matron for hospital midwifery at Airedale Hospital, made it a memorable double by receiving the individual award.
Staff at Airedale NHS Trust have been working closely with the Lean Healthcare Academy, part of the Virtual College and also based in Ilkley, to develop a series of pilot projects at Airedale Hospital – with outstanding results. Through the unique public and private sector partnership, the first initiative, known as the Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) Project, has been successfully delivered. With all stakeholders collaborating and co-operating with each other, hospital waiting times for scans for pregnant women with undersize baby concerns have now been cut from up to six weeks to within 24 hours – with some patients even seen on the same day.
Asecond flagship initiative, designed to streamline the process and reduce the waiting time for diagnosis for patients with suspected bowel cancer, is also being implemented.
