Falls partnership shortlisted for HSJ Award 2024

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) along with its partner from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has been shortlisted for a prestigious healthcare award for its work on Community Wellbeing Officer (CWO) initiative.

Finalists for the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards 2024, the healthcare sector’s premier awards event of the year, were announced on Monday 12 August. The initiative was shortlisted in the Provider Collaboration of the Year category, for its partnership with regional fire and rescue services in assisting people who have fallen at home.

The CWO initiative was launched in November 2023 and is designed to bring health response and fire prevention together. In Bedfordshire, four CWOs work across Bedfordshire responding to non-emergency calls from people who have fallen.

There is an increased risk of fire in a home where someone has fallen. When emergency calls come in for non-injury falls, EEAST dispatchers can task CWOs to respond where available. This usually means the patient gets help more quickly, and while on scene the CWOs will provide fire prevention advice – from fitting new smoke alarms to discussing potential fire hazards with the patient.

Since the project’s launch in November last year, CWOs in Bedfordshire have responded to 95 calls, and in over 90% of those incidents they were first on scene.

Stuart Auger, Head of Operational Response, said: “Since the CWO project started in November last year we have been able to help some of the most vulnerable people in our community. It has also been a pleasure to support our partners in ensuring that those that have fallen at home are seen and treated quickly, relieving pressure on the whole NHS system.

“We are delighted to learn that the work of the Community Wellbeing Officers has been recognised and shortlisted for a prestigious HSJ award. It is a huge boost to our CWO colleagues, and we look forward to continuing to support our local communities.”

Jo Fletcher, Associate Director of Urgent and Emergency Care at EEAST, said: “I am thrilled to see the Community Wellbeing Officer project shortlisted for a HSJ award. EEAST is proud to work closely and collaboratively with our blue light partners in the fire and rescue services across the region.

“The CWO role embodies the strong relationship between our ambulance service and fire service, and since launching last November it has already achieved fantastic results for patients. Having medically trained officers from the fire service attend non-injury falls means that patients can also benefit from free fire prevention advice.

“I am incredibly proud of how well the CWOs have integrated with our frontline ambulance crews, our control room operators and the unscheduled care coordination hubs. This recognition by the HSJ Awards team is well deserved!”