THE trust which runs Winchester hospital is in the running for awards recognising its work in children’s services and maternity, which celebrate exceptional achievement and excellence in nursing and patient care.

The Children's Home Acute Team (CHAT) at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) is leading the nominations within the trust, having been shortlisted in three categories – Nursing in the Community, HRH Integrated Approaches to Care, and Children’s Services in this year’s Nursing Times Awards.

CHAT is a small team of paediatric nurses based in Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, who have developed an integrated way of working to improve patient outcomes, by providing care closer to home for some of their younger patients, promoting early discharges and working to prevent hospital re-attendance.

Now in its fifth year, the service has gone from strength to strength, ensuring young people receive the best possible care in the place that is right for them. In November 2019, of the 111 referrals CHAT received, only nine children needed to be brought into hospital, with all others receiving the appropriate care at home or in the community.

The service helps to reduce the anxiety of children and their parents, and empower carers to manage and care for their child with an acute illness away from hospital.

Lynsey Carrazedo, community children's nurse sister and team lead for the CHAT team, said: “We are very excited about the nominations. It’s been a huge team effort to get to this point and it’s fantastic that it’s now being recognised at the Nursing Times Awards. Even being shortlisted is a great achievement and I am so proud of the team and everything we do to support our patients and their families.”

The awards are celebrating their 30th anniversary and the winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday 18 November 2020.