STAFF from the eye departments at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Alexandra Hospital, have won a national award for their supportive approach to patient care.
At an awards evening earlier this month the hospital staff were presented with the Bayer Ophthalmology Honours 2015 award for the Best Patient Support or Education Initiative.
The ceremony, hosted by OBE and veteran of the British Army, Simon Weston, recognised and celebrated the outstanding work in ophthalmology in the UK.
The team was chosen from a number of entries, mainly for its successful Worcestershire Glaucoma Support Group.
The group, formed by Tarun Sharma, clinical director for Ophthalmology and run by Ophthalmology Sister Sara Ruck and deputy directorate support manager for speciality medicine Sally Hunter, continues to expand, with over 100 people attending the last meeting.
To further improve the reach and accessibility of the support they offered, the team also set up a website for the support group, which contains a number of glaucoma education videos for patients to watch in their own home.
“We are very proud to receive this national award for the care and support we provide to our patients, their families and their friends,” said Mr Sharma.
The team has previously received a highly commended place in the 2014 Health Service Journal (HSJ) Value in Healthcare Awards and were recognised in the International Glaucoma Association (IGA) awards as the Best Glaucoma Ophthalmic Unit in the UK for 2014/15.
For more information about the support group visit www.worcestershireglaucomasupport.co.uk .
