The HSE Achievement Awards in association with Quest Diagnostics took place on Wednesday 24th November 2010 in Dublin. The Awards recognise best practice and innovation of healthcare staff in the delivery quality patient care.  They have an important role in motivating public health service employees to continually strive to provide the best possible service to the public.

The award for Overall Best Project - the Derek Dockery Perpetual Award - was presented to Wexford General Hospital representing HSE South.  Their project, a Site Infection Surveillance Service, is a proactive and innovative patient post-discharge surveillance system which monitors surgical site infection rates, and which has resulted in a sustained decrease in such infection rates at the hospital over the last three years. 

This project illustrated the dedication of staff in improving patient care, raising standards in healthcare and delivering a quality service and real benefits to patients. The 20 shortlisted entries were led by health sector staff committed to finding new and better ways of delivering improved care to patients despite the challenges the health services face.

The Balance Matters project, the winning entry from HSE Dublin North East, is a collaboration between HSE physiotherapists and community groups which aims to improve older peoples’ balance and mobility, build their confidence and prevent falls.  One in three older people aged 65 years and over fall every year, which can result in a serious injury and hospitalisation. Participants in the programme reported increased levels of balance, mobility and confidence.  The programme is delivered in a group setting which is more efficient and effective and participants enjoyed the social aspect of the sessions.

The ‘Anyone Can Eat’ tube weaning programme from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital was the winner in the HSE Dublin Mid Leinster category and a runner up in the Overall Best Project category.  One of the beneficiaries of this innovative project – a three week intensive programme to wean infants and children off tube feeding – is a little girl called Rose.  According to her mother, Rose was tube fed from birth.  “Before the ‘Anybody Can Eat’ programme I had tried a number of unsuccessful methods to help wean Rose off tube feeding. The team really understood Rose’s needs and helped her.  The whole programme turned our lives and Rose’s life around, she is so much happier now.  I never thought she would eat food and always thought she would be tube fed.”

Representing HSE West, the Regional Anaesthetic Facility at Galway University Hospitals won their Achievement Award for a project which allows patients to have regional anaesthesia techniques performed which results in a decrease in the number of general anaesthetics given.  The benefit to the patients is that they can avail of day procedures, avoiding hospitalisation, and they are mobile earlier which decreases the risk of side effects.  It allows patients to avail of day case treatment where possible, in keeping with an overall move towards achieving an increase in day case activity and facilitates onsite teaching for doctors and nurses.  The project has been such a success that the model has been used by hospitals throughout Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe.

The HSE Achievement Awards were created to recognise and celebrate outstanding work by health and social care staff and ultimately reward best practice and raise standards within the health sector.  A total of 326 healthcare projects and initiatives from all over the country applied for this year’s Awards.  Of these, five entries from each of the four HSE Regions (HSE South, HSE West, HSE Dublin Mid Leinster and HSE Dublin North East) were shortlisted to go forward to the finals.  Three projects were also selected by the judging panel for special commendation awards were also presented.

Click on the links below for the winners list, information on the awards and our awards sponsors.

Winners List

The Awards

Our Sponsors

Quest Diagnostics, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, is proud to be the headline sponsor of the HSE National Achievement Awards 2010. The shortlist of nominations for awards demonstrates the outstanding level of innovation, progressive thinking and commitment to improving the service to patients and their families throughout Ireland.  The breadth and depth of the projects mirrors the manner in which Quest Diagnostics worldwide strive to improve systems and delivery to our patients.  These Awards are hugely important in recognising these wonderful achievements by HSE staff.  We congratulate every one of those nominated and the winners.