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ChatHealth has a double award-winning victory at major healthcare awards.
Celebrations are taking place after confidential text messaging service, ChatHealth was crowned winners of not one, but two, top NHS awards at the AHSN Network and NHS Confederation’s Innovate Awards.
The service, which enables people to speak to health professionals using a specialist text messaging system – anonymously if they wish, beat off hundreds of entries to be given the Innovation Spread Award and also received the coveted, top gong of winner of the Innovation Champion of Year Award, 2022.
Angela Hillery, chief executive of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), where ChatHealth was developed, said: “We are extremely proud to be given these titles for ChatHealth and I’d personally like to thank the team of hard-working, compassionate and innovative people behind its success.
“Since its initial development in 2012, ChatHealth has continued to grow. Many people have told us how convenient the service is and how comfortable and easy it is to get the help they need.
“Not only does the service support children, young people and parents across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, providing access to expert clinicians, but we also work with NHS Trusts across the UK who have adopted ChatHealth to benefit more than six million people a year.”
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Healthy Family Team’s ChatHealth-powered healthcare messaging services include the ChatHealth text service, which is available to all young people aged 11-19 across Nottinghamshire and aims to offer a simple, flexible way to get confidential support.
Young people can access it by texting 07507 329952.
Find out more by visiting: https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/healthy-families-chathealth
In recent years and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, interest in LPT’s ChatHealth innovation has grown nationwide. Around 70 other NHS Trusts and healthcare organisations have adopted the shared technology and best practice to implement ChatHealth-powered messaging services across their own localities.
In 2021-2022, a combined total of 87,132 messaging conversations took place nationwide via ChatHealth. Feedback from people who use the service is overwhelming positive, with them often saying how it’s a more convenient, comfortable and easier way to get help – and showing appreciation that messaging conversations can be carried out anonymously if preferred.
Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive at NHS Confederation, added: “The past few years have been challenging for everyone working in health and care, so it is more important than ever to recognise and celebrate the efforts and achievements of health and care teams.
“These awards have celebrated the exceptional efforts in helping transform health and care. They give the recognition, acknowledgement and appreciation individuals, teams and organisations deserve for leading the way in health and care innovation. Thank you to all those teams that took time to enter the awards this year – we hope to build on the success of this year’s awards next year.”
To find out more about ChatHealth or to start a conversation with a health professional visit: chathealth.nhs.uk
