A LOCAL hospital trust has won a place in a new scheme aimed at patient safety.
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and St Luke's Hospital at Crosland Moor, is one of only 10 award-winning hospital partnerships chosen to be in a nationwide drive to make UK hospitals the safest in the world.
The trust, which will receive £165,000, will work in partnership with York Hospitals NHS Trust on the Safer Patients Initiative. It is run by an independent charity, The Health Foundation.
Stephen Thornton, the foundation's chief executive, said: "We're delighted the trust is part of the Safer Patients' Initiative.
"We are impressed by the hospital's outstanding commitment to make the care it provides patients the safest it can be."
The trust will also receive significant support from the US-based Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Alex Hamilton, the trust's associate medical director, said: "Safety in patient care is an absolute priority for this trust. That has clearly been recognised through this award.
"Work already carried out elsewhere in the country demonstrates that improvements can be made. It is exciting that we can be part of this nationwide project."
Over the next two years the trust will develop its expertise to make improvements so that medical mistakes are more difficult to make.
Don Berwick, president and Chief executive officer of IHI and an internationally recognised leader in quality improvement in healthcare, said: "What the Safer Patients Initiative has achieved in the UK so far is remarkable.
"The new hospitals announced represent an exciting next wave of innovation."
