The HSJ Digital Awards celebrate excellence in NHS digital projects and innovations aimed at transforming healthcare delivery.
The awards recognise teams and individuals who have made significant contributions to improving patient outcomes through digital solutions. Winners will be announced at an official awards ceremony to be held on Thursday, 26 June 2025.
Since 2021 there have been various challenges experienced by Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner services across Basildon and Brentwood caused by the separate IT systems used to deliver patient care.
EPUT and Vita Health Group have subsequently been working in partnership to provide an improvement to the Primary Care Mental Health Practitioner service which has helped reduce health inequalities and improved patient access to mental health professionals across the two areas.
These changes to the service and the introduction of a single digital system have shortened patient waiting times by 97.5 percent.
Rebecca Pulford, Director of Nursing and Chief Nursing and AHP Information Officer, said: “I am delighted to hear that our Primary Care Mental Health Service in Basildon and Brentwood has been shortlisted for a HSJ Digital Award.
“It’s testament to the strong partnership we have with Vita Health Group which together has helped improve the service we offer and enable us to reduce our service waiting times by almost 100 percent.
“Well done to everyone involved.”
Dr Paul O’Sullivan, IPCC Service Lead at Vita Health Group, said: “We are thrilled to be shortlisted for the HSJ Digital Award 2025 in the category of Reducing Health Inequalities Through Digital.
“This nomination is a testament to the incredible collaboration between EPUT and Vita Health Group as co-providers in delivering a primary care mental health practitioner service in Basildon and Brentwood.
“Through our joint efforts, we have achieved a remarkable reduction in patient waiting times from over nine days to a sustained change of wait times reducing to below one day, with patient satisfaction recorded above 80 percent.
“Our innovative approach has also reduced health inequalities by improving the mobility and agility of our workforce, ensuring more efficient and effective care delivery.
“Together, we are making strides in ensuring equitable access to mental health support through innovative digital solutions. This recognition inspires us to continue our mission of improving health outcomes for all.”
Feedback from service users has been very positive.
One service user said: “I am truly astounded with, and so grateful for such a prompt, understanding service which responded so rapidly to my cry for help. I feel supported, listened to, and more hopeful as a result.”
Since April 2024, the service has provided over 17,000 primary care mental health appointments to the Basildon and Brentwood area. Utilisation of these appointments by the involved Primary Care Networks was over 90 percent.
The change also improved access and waiting times significantly, with the wait times between patients contacting their GP practice, to receiving a primary care mental health assessment with a Mental Health Nurse, being reduced from an average of 9.7 days to under 24 hours.
The success of the collaboration could result in the service being expanded across more areas in the Essex region.