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MEDICALEXCELLENCE IS THRIVING IN THE UK
The award-winning work of doctorsaround the country now means that:
people are receiving quicker treatment for orthopaedicproblems
those at risk of coronary heart disease could livelonger simply by changing their diet
old people are less in danger of fainting and falling
patients are more likely to recover if their doctor isa good communicator.
Six projects have received awardsfrom the BUPA Foundation which recognises excellence in various areas ofmedicine - care, clinical excellence, communication, epidemiology, health atwork and research. The BUPA Foundation is an independent charity that supports researchprojects that help to advance medical knowledge and improve treatments. It has awarded grants in excess of 8million.
DrAndrew Vallance-Owen, BUPA medical director and governor of the BUPA Foundationsaid: All six of the awards we have made this year are for outstandingexamples of best practice and teamwork.The benefits to both patients and the NHS speak for themselves. Developments such as these are why BUPA isdelighted to award nearly 1.5m in grantseach year to the BUPA Foundation. Thisis one of the ways in which BUPA contributes to the health and care of everyonein the UK.
A Southampton NHS service whichhas reduced the 18-month wait for an appointment to six weeks and reduced costsby two thirds has won the 2003 BUPA Foundation award for clinical excellence inrecognition of its work. The newservice, which is the first of its kind in the UK, has been so successful thatthe local NHS hospital Trust has achieved all its waiting time targets for thelast three years.
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BUPAFoundation awards medical excellence in the UK/ 2
Theaward for excellence in epidemiology has been made to researchers at the NHSRoyal Free & University College Medical School in London for their workshowing that a simple change of diet could reduce the 125,000 UK deaths eachyear from coronary heart disease by a quarter.The research team examined how changes in cholesterol and blood pressurecompared with drug treatment in tackling the disease which is the nationsbiggest killer. In the care category, aspecialist NHS unit in Newcastle has received the award for its work looking atwhy old people faint and fall for no apparent reason, which has saved thehealth service around 2.5 million each year the cost of running an entireward.
Ateam at the Sheffield Childrens NHS Trust has won the award for excellence incommunication for their work to measure and improve how doctors communicatewith patients, showing that good communication can be as important as clinicalability and can impact how quickly patients recover.
Astudy showing that a naturally-occurring hormone controls hunger has won the2003 BUPA Foundation Award for medical research. A doctor from the NHS University College London found that thehormone PYY3-36 suppresses food intake, meaning that boosting levels in obesepeople could help with weight loss.Treating the effects of obesity costs the NHS at least 500 million ayear.
Theaward for health at work award goes to a team who worked together to write anew set of rules to improve health and safety for those who live and work atsea.
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For further information contact: Elaine Finch
BUPACorporate Communications
Tel:020 7656 2291
Notes to Editors:
The winners of the 2003 BUPA Foundation Awards willreceive their awards from Shadow Health Secretary Dr Liam Fox on Tuesday 11 Novemberat the annual BUPA Foundation Awards.
The BUPA Foundation
The BUPA Foundation is a charitable organisation foundedin 1979 that exists to provide finance towards the prevention, relief and cureof sickness and ill health. The foundation's annual awards recognise andreward excellence in medical research and healthcare initiatives and ithas awarded grants in excess of 8 million. This year the BUPA Foundation hascommitted 600,000 to fund research projects looking at the impact of patientchoice and education. The annual BUPA Foundation Awards recognise and rewardexcellence in medical research and healthcare initiatives in six areas - care,clinical excellence, communication, epidemiology, health at work and research.
Set up in 1947, BUPA is a broad-based health and careorganisation with a growing international presence. It has more than seven million customers in 190 countries and40,000 employees. Its main interestsare health insurance, hospitals, care services for the elderly and young disabled,health assessments, workplace health and childcare services. It also provides recruitment services forhealthcare professionals and has a network of nurseries for the children ofworking parents.