Congratulations are in order as the West Kent Unscheduled Care Navigation Hub (UCNH) took home a prestigious Healthwatch award for their outstanding collaborative patient care recently.
The team were presented with the award at the event on Thursday, 26 February at Revelation in Ashford with Practice Development Lead, Sean and Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, Peter Elliott receiving the award alongside representatives from partner organisations who work in the West Kent hub.
Based in Paddock Wood, the hub brings together advanced paramedic practitioners, advanced clinical practitioner nurses and band six paramedics from our service, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. Together, they provide care navigation, shared decision-making and risk management for patients across the West Kent area.
Since it’s trial in 2023, the hub has supported more than 10,000 patients by redirecting them to the most appropriate care, including same day emergency care (SDEC), urgent treatment centres (UTC), and frailty units. The team’s proactive assessments help protect patient safety, prevent unnecessary hospital attendances, and ensure timely access to care.
“This award is a real credit to the team and the way colleagues collaborate across services,” said Sean Edwards, Practice Development Lead. “The hub plays an essential role in safe decision-making and guiding patients to the right care. Being recognised for enabling local people to monitor standards and drive improvement makes this particularly meaningful.”