Special Care Dentistry team recognised for improving dental care access for Birmingham’s homeless community
The Special Care Dentistry team at Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) has been recognised nationally for a project that has improved outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.
Laura Smith (pictured far right in photo), Specialty Registrar in Special Care Dentistry, and colleagues were named runners-up in the Communicating for Impact category at the Excellence in Clinical Audit Awards 2026. The award recognised the team's work to evaluate and enhance the Trust's dental drop-in service for people experiencing homelessness.
The awards were presented as part of Clinical Audit Awareness Week, a national campaign highlighting the vital role that clinical audit and healthcare data play in improving patient care and outcomes.
Over a 12-month period, the team reviewed patient experience and service usage to better understand unmet needs, identify barriers to accessing care, and explore opportunities to improve the service.
Using patient feedback alongside clinical findings, the team introduced a number of improvements, including enhanced triage processes, standardised documentation, stronger communication pathways, and closer collaboration with partner organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness.
These developments have helped make the service more consistent, accessible, and patient-centred, ensuring patients can receive the care they need in a way that better meets their circumstances and challenges.
Importantly, the improvements have now been embedded into everyday practice.
Laura Smith said:
"We are honoured to be recognised in the Excellence in Clinical Audit Awards for our work to improve the Dental Drop-in Clinic service for people experiencing homelessness.
This project focused on reducing barriers to care and improving access through patient-centred service developments. The recognition is particularly meaningful because it highlights the importance of tackling health inequalities and designing services around the needs of people who can face significant challenges in accessing healthcare.
We are proud that the improvements have become part of routine practice and continue to support better patient experiences, ongoing service development, and sustainable improvements in care."
The team's achievement demonstrates BCHC's commitment to reducing health inequalities and ensuring that some of the city's most vulnerable residents can access high-quality dental care.
To find out more about Clinical Audit Awareness Week and the Excellence in Clinical Audit Awards, visit the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) website.