THE organisation which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital is a finalist in two categories in the national Patient Safety Awards.

Northern Care Alliance NHS Group (NCA) is a finalist in two categories in the national Patient Safety Awards.

NCA is a finalist in the Deteriorating Patients and Rapid Response Systems award. The group has made the shortlist for its AQuA quality improvement project for improving the recognition and treatment of sepsis across multiple hospital sites.

The alliance faces stiff competition from the other finalists, which include South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Royal Free London FT, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust, and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay FT.

NCA is also a finalist in the Improving Safety in Medicines Management Initiative category alongside NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group. This finalist place has been secured for work done by the group’s Salford Integrated Medicines Optimisation Team (SIMOT).

The alliance is competing against the other finalists, namely Arden & GEM CSU with Norwich CCG, Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals FT, AT Medics, Central London Community Healthcare Trust, Cheshire & Wirral Partnership FT, Community Pharmacy Patient Safety Group, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, Salford Royal FT part of the Northern Care Alliance and NHS Salford CCG.

The NCA brings together 17,500 staff and services across Salford Royal and Pennine Acute Trusts under a group arrangement.

The award winners will be announced on 2 July at an awards evening event at Manchester Central on the first evening of the Patient Safety Congress.

Raj Jain, chief executive of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Groupm said: “I am really proud of the AQuA sepsis quality improvement and integrated medicines optimisation teams who have been shortlisted as finalists for these prestigious national awards. To be announced as finalists in two separate award categories really shows how the Northern Care Alliance is at the forefront of providing excellent patient care. I wish the teams good luck with their entries and I hope we go on to be announced as worthy winners.”

There are 22 different categories in the Patient Safety Awards and each of the finalists will be asked to present to a judging panel from 7 to 13 May, where the judges will choose a single winner. These winners will be announced on 2 July.