Cannock GP surgery recognised for its care of local patients
The Red Lion Surgery has been named joint General Practice of the Year at national awards celebrating excellence in palliative and end of life care
A GP surgery in Cannock has been jointly named General Practice of the Year at national awards recognising excellence in palliative and end of life care.
The Red Lion Surgery received the accolade at the fourth annual Daffodil Standards Awards, organised by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and Marie Curie.
The awards, held on Thursday, October 29, attracted a record 51 applications across six categories from general practice teams across the UK.
Judges praised the surgery's strong holistic and relationship-based approach to patient care.
Dr Syed Ali, of Red Lion Surgery, said: “It's very humbling that when people need help, they come to healthcare professionals.
“The Daffodil Standards Framework has given us a good insight into the difficulties patients face around end of life, whether physically, mentally or socially.
“When it comes to palliative care, often people box it as one patient, but we know that one patient is connected to many.”
Advanced clinical practitioners Clare Doleman and Nicky Crawford, from Darwin Medical Practice in Burntwood, also received awards for General Practice Clinical Team Member of the Year.
The awards celebrate improvements in palliative and end of life care, recognising the work of healthcare professionals in supporting patients, families and carers.
Marie Curie's chief medical officer, Dr Sarah Holmes, said: “People approaching the end of life should receive compassionate, coordinated care that reflects what matters to them, wherever they are.
“This year's winners show how much difference general practice teams can make by listening to patients and families, working across professional boundaries, and turning learning into practical improvements.
“We are proud to recognise their dedication and hope their work inspires more practices to use the Daffodil Standards to strengthen the care they provide.”
The Daffodil Standards provide practices with a framework to review and improve care for people approaching the end of life, as well as their families and carers.
E16 Health Pontoon Dock in East London shared the General Practice of the Year award with Red Lion Surgery.
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, president of the RCGP, said: “GPs and our teams play a vital role in supporting patients and their families through palliative and end of life care.
“Knowing patients, understanding their wishes and working closely with other services can make a real difference to the care people receive at such an important time in their lives.
“The Daffodil Standards Awards are a great opportunity to recognise the dedication of general practice teams and the improvements they're making to patient care. It's wonderful to see so many examples of good practice being celebrated.”
For more information about the Daffodil Standards, visit mariecurie.org.uk/daffodilstandards.