Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), working alongside Nottingham CityCare Partnership and partner organisations, won the Improved Partnerships between Health and Local Government at last night’s Health Service Journal (HSJ) awards 2016.

The organisations won the award for their work on integrating health and social care in the city. It is a tremendous recognition for the integrated care programme of partnership working aimed at providing seamless care for citizens and keeping more people healthier in the community and out of hospital.

Maria Principe, Director of Primary Care Development and Service Integration at Nottingham City CCG, said: “It is a major achievement to have won this prestigious award and it is testimony to the hard work of colleagues who have been dedicated to integrating health and social care services in the city.

“Citizens are gaining the benefits of this work. People with long-term conditions, including the frail elderly, are increasingly being supported to manage their own health and care needs so that they can live independently in their own homes, for longer, with less reliance on intensive care packages.”

Cllr Alex Norris, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health at Nottingham City Council: “This award demonstrates the strength of partnership working between the City Council and the local NHS. We have been at the forefront of integrating social care with health in Nottingham, streamlining services so citizens can access them easier and making sure services, such as reablement and rehabilitation, can best meet people’s needs.”

Lyn Bacon, Chief Executive of Nottingham CityCare Partnership, said: “I’m delighted for everyone involved that their hard work and innovation has been recognised with this Improved Partnerships HSJ award. Only by working closely together can we deliver the best possible services for our community and Nottingham is at the forefront of this.”

Integrated care services in Nottingham received ‘pioneer’ status from NHS England in January 2015 in recognition of the innovative approaches being undertaken.

Alastair McLellan, HSJ editor, said: “With the NHS experiencing a tough time as funding fails to keep up with demand, the HSJ Awards are once again the best reminder of the excellence the service is capable of. Taken together the entries to the HSJ Awards represent work which, directly or indirectly, has saved thousands of lives and enhanced many times that number.”