On Friday 6 December, East Lothian’s Primary Health Care, Care When It Counts (CWIC) were confirmed as finalists of Nursing Team of the Year category at the national General Practice Awards 2024.
The General Practice Awards are a prestigious national celebration for those working in primary care and general practice across the UK. The awards recognise the individuals and teams who are striving to develop innovative projects, make system change, and ultimately improve care for their patients and communities.
The Nursing Team of the Year category, sought to recognise a nursing team who have made an outstanding contribution to patient care. Judges were particularly interested in evidence of exceptional dedication, imagination, or innovation, with measurable improvements in patient care and clinical outcomes.
The nurse led CWIC team was initially developed to support the delivery of short-term health care to communities in the west of East Lothian, reducing pressure on GP Practices by undertaking some of their workload relating to minor, non-recurring common conditions. Currently the CWIC team provide support to patients registered at Tranent, The Harbours, Inveresk, and Riverside Medical Practices.
The CWIC service has developed and evolved significantly and now incorporates a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team, providing a full holistic care service, from initial enquiry through assessment, diagnosis, treatment, prescribing and where necessary, onward referral to specialist services or hospital admissions. This has not only reduced the pressure on local GP practices, but also ensured patients received timely, comprehensive care.
In the last few months, the CWIC service has become more autonomous, having launched its own direct access telephone number, so registered patients at Tranent, The Harbours, Inveresk and now Riverside, can call the team directly to request a same-day appointment service, rather than having to request an appointment through their GP practice.
What’s especially unique about the CWIC services is that is designed around patients, providing a rapid service, better suited to patients who value access that works around their needs and are keen to have a service delivered by a multi-disciplinary team.
The team’s success is reflected in their positive feedback, who appreciate the ease of access and high-quality care they receive. Testimonials often highlight the CWIC team’s compassion, efficiency, and ability to accommodate patients’ needs.
“… absolutely amazing, they put me at ease, they were reassuring, understanding, didn’t make me feel rushed or silly, validated how I was feeling, took my concerns seriously and didn’t just dismiss me. They provided me with options and explained everything for me, so I knew what was happening. I could honestly cry right now with how relieved I feel to have received such empathy and compassion from someone who is not only very good at their job but able to make a patient feel like they care.”
Mags Morrow, Clinical Nurse Manager, and CWIC Team Leader comments,
“We were extremely honoured to be selected as finalists for this award, especially as the team were only one of three Scottish entries for the entire event.
“Collectively the team share a passion and commitment to delivering the highest quality of care to our patients, and that’s what’s drives us forward every day. As a service model CWIC contributes, personal-centre care to the individual, as well as the wider health and social care needs across the regional. By breaking the mould, the CWIC team have made access and delivery of primary care services better for the people that need it – the patients.”
Chief Officer and Joint Director of East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, Fiona Wilson adds, “I’m incredibly proud of the team’s achievements. Throughout CWIC’s development, the team have shown unwavering dedication and commitment to providing each patient with personalised and compassionate care. It’s absolutely fantastic to have this effort recognised, and to showcase East Lothian as an innovator in developing primary care health services for the benefits of its local residents.”
Find out more about the CWIC service by visiting CWIC: Same Day Appointment Service