We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Florence Nightingale Award for Excellence in Health and Care Analytics. The award, named after the Society’s first female fellow and pioneer of data visualisation, Florence Nightingale, celebrates data analysts in the UK health and care sector whose work has delivered better health outcomes.
Now in its fifth year, the award is supported by the Health Foundation, an independent charitable organisation working to build a healthier UK.
Charles Tallack, director of data analytics at the Health Foundation, commenting on this year’s winners, said: ‘The effective use of data and analytics is crucial to improving the health and care system. These two winning projects are excellent examples of ambitious collaborations that improved health and care by harnessing data in innovative ways. Each team meaningfully involved and engaged patients and the public in their work and published a wealth of information and resources in easily accessible forms. These impactful pieces of work are brilliant examples of how data analysts are tackling real-world problems and benefiting patients. Congratulations to both teams.’
Dr Sarah Cumbers, chief executive at the Royal Statistical Society, added: ‘This year’s winning and highly commended projects show the impact data analytics can have in tackling real world problems and in improving our health. Congratulations to both teams.’
Winner: New Fetal Growth Velocity Standard Improves Risk Assessment in Pregnancy, Perinatal Institute
The software provided by the Perinatal Institute helps NHS trusts better assess increased-risk pregnancies and flags anything of concern to clinicians to help prevent any potential harm to mother and baby.
The judges were impressed with how the project approached a very serious issue in healthcare, by providing a robust analysis that clinicians can use to tangibly reduce rates of stillbirth. They also liked the sustained engagement with patients, community groups and providers.
Highly commended: Segmenting and Stratifying Fuel Poor Populations in Cheshire & Merseyside, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
This project looked to deliver solutions for the problem of fuel poverty and its impact on the health of those affected to reduce the burden on the health and care system, using linked data to improve insight and deliver the intervention effectively. Two distinct cohorts were identified, and solutions offered included the payment of fuel bills and lifestyle reviews to improve their respiratory health.
The judges were impressed with the rigorous approach to evaluation of the initiative, the resources offered to support replication of their approach and thorough, creative engagement with stakeholders.