The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s Innovation team have won a prestigious regional award for their work in pushing forward the culture of innovation at the Trust.
Clatterbridge picked up the Innovation in Workforce Culture trophy at the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards. Hosted by Health Innovation North West Coast and The Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast, the awards celebrate outstanding achievements in research and innovation across the region.
Clatterbridge's Innovation Manager Simon Bunting and Dr Seamus Coyle, Clinical Lead for Innovation, were handed the award at the ceremony held at The Spine, in Liverpool.
The judging panel commended the exceptional quality of applications this year, making the award success a significant achievement for them both and a testament to the Trust's commitment to fostering a vibrant and innovative workforce culture aimed at enhancing patient care.
The award submission focused on the project, Empowering Teams To Innovate, which encourages staff and patients to submit new ideas through the Be Innovative scheme, supported by Clatterbridge Cancer Charity. This initiative aims to “nurture new ideas and support existing innovations, ensuring the Trust remains agile in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape”.
Simon said: “We are delighted to be awarded this accolade. It recognises our commitment to fostering a dynamic, inclusive, and innovative work environment that empowers our staff and enhances patient care.
“It was American management consultant Peter Drucker who coined the phrase ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’, and this underscores the importance of our innovative and supportive work culture in driving our success. Even the best-laid plans can fail if the organisational culture doesn't support them, and our achievement show the strength of that culture at Clatterbridge.”
Dr Coyle said: “Winning this award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire workforce. We have continuously strived to create a culture that supports innovation, collaboration, and excellence in healthcare.”
Dr Gillian Heap, Director of Research and Innovation Operations, said: “We are thrilled with this award – congratulations to Simon and Seamus, who are driving forward a culture of enterprise and innovation right across the Trust.
“Innovation is a main plank of CCC’s overall strategy and is vital to our drive to further enhance outcomes for our patients, improve the working environment for our staff and address the green agenda.”
Special guest at the ceremony, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director at NHS England, said: “It’s crucial that we embrace innovation as the key to improving outcomes for our patients and addressing challenges. The range of enterprise and creativity highlighted this evening shows that the innovative spirit is flourishing on the North West Coast.”
