A MENTAL health trust has scooped two prestigious awards at a national healthcare ceremony.

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) won the coveted ‘Patient Involvement Award’ and achieved the runner-up prize for ‘Partnership Working’, at the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership national clinical audit awards 2010 at The Belfry in the West Midlands.

The first award, aimed at highlighting examples of excellence and innovation within clinical audit, went to CWP for acknowledging the communication needs of learning disability service users and involving them in recording and mapping their experiences in an accessible way.

Sheena Cumiskey, CWP’s chief executive, says: “I’m extremely proud of the staff within the organisation whose continued determination to provide the best possible service for our users is the reason for this success. The ‘Patient Involvement Award’ is recognition of the fantastic can-do attitude of our staff, but in particular those providing learning disability support.”

The Trust’s intensive home treatment team were also announced as runner-up for ‘Partnership Working’ by developing a service that addresses the issue of crisis intervention for older people with dementia.

Sheena Cumiskey added: “Our dementia services are a credit to us as a Trust. Our staff consistently demonstrate our organisational values of care, well-being and partnership in everything they do. Both accreditations recognise good practice and high quality standards of existing services on a national scale.”

CWP is always looking for new members. If you would like to show your support, contact our membership team on 01244 397411, e-mail membership@cwp.nhs.uk or visit the website at www.cwp.nhs.uk – where a simple application form can be completed online.