Colleagues gather at Trust HQ to celebrate the Essential Care Awards Ceremony
40 colleagues gathered at Priestley Wharf this week to celebrate the final instalment of the 2026 Essential Care Awards Ceremony.
Since the Essential Care Awards (ECA) visits launched in 2025, an impressive 109 teams have welcomed the ECA team into their services. Selected at random, each visit focuses on understanding how patients and service users experience the care and rehabilitation provided across our Trust.
Far from being an assessment, the visits offer teams the opportunity to showcase the exceptional care they deliver every day. They also provide valuable time for reflection, helping colleagues identify opportunities for learning, development and continuous improvement.
During the visits, teams are reviewed through face-to-face observations of clinical interactions, conversations with colleagues, and feedback gathered from patients, carers and service users. Following a validation process, services are awarded a gold, silver or bronze rating in recognition of their achievements.
Opening the ceremony, Trust Chair Professor David Sallah thanked all teams who had participated in the Essential Care Awards programme, as well as the many colleagues working behind the scenes to make the visits possible.
Certificates were presented by Robbie Dedi, Chief Medical Officer, and Lorraine Galligan, Chief of Nursing and Therapies, who congratulated colleagues on their dedication and commitment to delivering high-quality care. Both spoke about the importance of learning from experiences and embracing opportunities to strengthen patient safety and care, highlighting initiatives such as Martha's Law, Oliver McGowan Training and the NHS Maternity Review.
As a small token of appreciation, teams were treated to a delicious afternoon tea box, giving colleagues the chance to celebrate their achievements, connect with peers and enjoy a well-earned break together.
Closing the ceremony, Chief Executive Richard Kirby thanked everyone involved in the Essential Care Awards and congratulated all colleagues whose hard work and commitment had been recognised. He praised the passion, professionalism and dedication shown across services, which continue to make a positive difference to patients, service users and their families every day.
Adult Community Services
East Locality Hub received a gold award. The East Locality Hub demonstrated an innovative, highly coordinated and person-centred model of care, with patient safety at its heart. Strong multidisciplinary working supports complex patients through improved coordination, access, prevention and a focus on independence.
The team showed strength in end-of-life and palliative care, alongside a compassionate approach to patients experiencing complex circumstances. A strong safety culture and resilient workforce were evident, with staff working collaboratively to maintain safe, high-quality care despite staffing pressures.
Perry View received a silver award. Perry View demonstrated strong person-centred care, with patients actively involved in decisions about their treatment and consistently treated with dignity and respect. Excellent infection prevention practices provide strong assurance around patient safety, while a clear focus on Duty of Candour is supporting the development of an open and psychologically safe culture.
Patients expressed high levels of trust and confidence in the service, highlighting the kindness, approachability and professionalism of staff. Strong, inclusive handovers and collaborative leadership further reinforce the team's positive culture and commitment to high-quality care.
Early Intervention Community team (East) received a bronze award. The EICT team demonstrated a strong culture of patient safety, learning and collaboration. Effective daily safety huddles support workload management, case prioritisation, safeguarding discussions and learning from incidents.
Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to openness and continuous improvement. The team works collaboratively, fairly distributes workload and willingly supports the wider locality through cross-cover. Their commitment to BCHC Values is also evident through active recognition of colleagues via VIP and Learning from Excellence nominations.
Respiratory team received a silver award. The Respiratory team adapted activities for individuals with complex needs. Patients felt safe and praised the team's caring, approachable and professional manner.
Staff communicated clearly, checked understanding and encouraged questions. Patients were warmly welcomed and consistently treated with dignity and respect. They were described as a proud, close-knit multidisciplinary team that supports one another, shares skills and provides cross-cover effectively.
Adult Specialist Rehabilitation
Adult Speech and Language Therapy team received a silver award. The team is a highly collaborative, compassionate and improvement-focused service, demonstrating a strong commitment to patient safety, person-centred care and continuous service development.
They have delivered significant improvements to swallowing pathways, referral processes, documentation and education, while working effectively across organisational boundaries. Their 'can-do' attitude, strong focus on shared learning and commitment to understanding the person behind the patient are key strengths.
Spasticity service Specialist clinics at WMRC received a silver award. The team is a forward-thinking service, with a clear focus on enabling patients to manage their conditions and delivering high-quality care.
The team demonstrates a compassionate approach to complaints, strong awareness of staffing pressures and proactive workforce development. Their commitment to quality improvement, through audits, CATs groups, national learning and clear leadership priorities, is a key strength.
Ward 11 received a bronze award. A clear culture of learning is embedded through patient-centred handovers and regular discussion of incidents and outcomes. The team has maintained an impressive record of no formal complaints for two years while actively responding to patient feedback through its 'You Said, We Did' approach. Staff consistently prioritise patients, describing a highly compassionate culture, while employees and students reported feeling welcomed, supported and safe to speak up.
Children and Families
Children's Nutrition and Dietetics service received a gold award. The team demonstrated outstanding compassionate and family-centred care, supported by strong safeguarding, consent, Infection Prevention and Control and governance arrangements.
They showed a clear commitment to innovation, quality improvement, research and workforce development, including the introduction of student placements. The service has created a positive and supportive team culture, with strong leadership, staff recognition, flexible working and a clear focus on continuous improvement.
Ladywood North & South Health visiting team received a silver award. The team is a highly compassionate, family-centred and supportive service, demonstrating a strong focus on personalised care, health promotion and safeguarding. Staff engage well with families, involve parents in decisions about their children's care and recognise when additional support is required. Strong teamwork and access to specialist support further strengthen the team's ability to meet the needs of the local population.
Dental
The Radiology team received a silver award. The team demonstrated a strong culture of dignity, respect and compassionate care, supported by effective consent and high standards of equipment management.
Strong governance arrangements, regular learning and effective leadership underpin the service, while staff described a positive and supportive working environment. The team is also actively investing in workforce development through skill-mix development, career progression and succession planning, with a clear commitment to maintaining a positive and inclusive team culture.
Learning Disabilities
The Epilepsy team received a silver award. The team is a highly safety-focused, collaborative and developing service, demonstrating strong safeguarding practice, effective clinical governance and a clear commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care. The team has strengthened its workforce and multidisciplinary support, while maintaining a positive and professional culture aligned with Trust values.
Riverside Lodge (short breaks) received a silver award. The team is a person-centred, inclusive and compassionate service, demonstrating a strong understanding of the individual communication needs and preferences of service users.
Staff provide personalised care, including support within people's home environments and during bereavement, while strong safeguarding practices and effective multidisciplinary working ensure safety and quality of care. The team also demonstrates excellent teamwork, inclusive leadership and recognition of staff contributions.
North locality Community team received a silver award. The team demonstrates strong multidisciplinary working, effective advocacy and a commitment to meeting the complex needs of adults with learning disabilities. Strong leadership, staff development and a positive team culture further support the delivery of safe, holistic and high-quality care.
The standards set out in the BCHC Essential Care Framework derive from the CQC Fundamentals of Care, outlining what matters most to patients who use NHS services.
- Person-Centred Care
- Dignity and Respect
- Consent
- Safety
- Safeguarding from Abuse
- Hydration and Nutrition
- Safe and clean equipment and environment
- Complaints
- Good Governance
- Safe Staffing
- Compassionate and Professional Staff
- Duty of Candour
