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Local NHS Trust receives high commendation at national awards for mental health safety improvement work
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has been given high commendation at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards ceremony on 28th September 2026, held at Telford International Centre.
The awards celebrate outstanding contributions to patient safety across health and care, with 217 finalists reaching the 2026 shortlist following a rigorous judging process.
The project was recognised for its work to strengthen clinical risk assessment, safety planning and risk management practices across mental health and learning disability services.
The aim is to help to ensure more personalised, collaborative and safety-focused care for patients.
Matt Thomas, Divisional Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud to be highly commended. This work has been a real team effort, bringing together colleagues, patients, families and carers to improve how we understand and manage risk in mental health services.”
“Hearing people’s experiences helped us make meaningful changes that support safer, more personalised care. Knowing that this is already making a difference to the people who use our services is the achievement that means the most to us.”
The success of the project has resulted in the introduction of a new narrative-based risk assessment approach and enhanced risk assessment training for clinicians across the Trust, helping to strengthen patient-centred care and support safer decision-making.
The HSJ Patient Safety Awards recognises the people and organisations making a tangible difference to patient safety, quality and outcomes across health and care.
Notes to editors
- The HSJ Patient Safety Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in patient safety across health and care.
- The 2026 awards attracted entries from organisations and teams across the UK, with 217 finalists reaching the final stage.
- The awards recognise achievement across clinical and specialist practice, organisation-wide change, and service and system innovation.
- The 2026 ceremony took place on 28 September 2026 at Telford International Centre.
- For more information, visit https://awards.patientsafetycongress.co.uk