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National patient safety award for Kent prison healthcare team
We’re proud to announce that the healthcare team at HMP East Sutton Park has won the Quality Improvement Initiative of the Year at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2025.
The award recognises the team’s outstanding work in tackling missed healthcare appointments at the women’s open prison in Kent. In 2022, the site was facing a weekly “did not attend” (DNA) rate of 21 per cent.
By working collaboratively with the prison and applying quality improvement methodology, specifically the Model for Improvement approach, the team achieved an impressive 86 per cent reduction in DNAs, bringing the rate down to just 3 per cent per week.
This improvement has been sustained for over 18 months, with no increase in patient complaints. The benefits have been wide-ranging, including reduced clinical time wasted, cost savings and better access to care for patients.
Judges praised the project for its impact, sustainability and collaborative approach.
You can read more about the initiative in a detailed case study here.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this fantastic achievement!
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