There was dancing to the Jailhouse Rock when a community choir formed in a prison in Northern Ireland was named overall winner of annual awards for therapists and health scientists.
Organisers, supporters and past members of the Voice of Release choir burst into an impromptu chorus of Elvis Presley’s hit in celebration of their success at the 2017 Advancing Healthcare Awards, held at Chelsea Harbour in London.
The awards, for which the Guardian was media partner, aim to highlight the achievements around the UK of allied health professionals and others who work with them outside the medical and nursing professions.
The Voice of Release was founded in 2014 by occupational therapists at Hydebank Wood women’s prison in south Belfast as a way of trying to engage prisoners who were vulnerable or at risk of suicide or self-harm.
Women who stepped forward to take part led development of the venture, winning a Dragons’ Den-style pitch for initial funding. The choir has since gone on to make a CD, put on paid performances – with some members being allowed out of prison to do so – and involve prisoners from a men’s jail without incident. A follow-on project has been set up for choir members to continue singing after release.
Regular monitoring of those taking part has shown a decrease in stress levels, improvement of mood and a greater sense of hope thanks to the “choral cure”.
The scheme, run jointly with The Right Key, a Lisburn-based community interest company, won the mental health category of the awards before scooping the overall prize. This new category, sponsored by the Guardian, attracted a record number of entries for the awards, which were in their 11th year.
The NetPark Wellbeing Project, an arts therapy scheme developed by the Metal Arts Organisation and Southend council, using digital technology in the setting of a public park, was highly commended in the same category.
Full list of winners
Overall winner and Guardian award for innovation in mental health services – Lynsey Grierson and Sheila Smyth, South Eastern health and social care trust and The Right Key; highly commended Emma Mills, Metal Arts Organisation
Faculty of Public Health and Public Health England award for contribution to public health – Gillian Rawlinson and Helen Slee, Salford Royal hospitals NHS foundation trust; highly commended Ruth Crabtree and Tom Heywood, Yorkshire ambulance service NHS trust
Health Education England and National Institute for Health Research award research champions – Lisa Roberts, University of Southampton and Southampton hospitals NHS foundation trust
Chamberlain Dunn award for entrepreneurship – Jo Godsall and Daniel Thomas, Chroma Arts Therapies
Macmillan award for leadership and innovation in cancer rehabilitation – Laura Caley and Jervoise Andreyev, Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust
Scottish government award for improving quality: measuring and demonstrating impact – Fraser Ferguson, NHS 24
Academy for Healthcare Science award for innovation – Mark Bowtell and Lorna Tasker, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg university (ABMU) health board
Welsh government award for prudently advancing practice – Anita Smith, East Sussex healthcare NHS trust
NHS Employers award for outstanding achievement by an apprentice, support worker or technician working alongside an AHP or healthcare scientist – Jennifer Hopton, Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals NHS foundation trust
Northern Ireland award for maximising resources for success – Fiona Talbot and Janey Milligan, South Eastern health and social care trust
Scottish government award for driving improvement, delivering results – Fiona McMillan and Catrina MacGregor, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Health Service Laboratories’ award for rising stars – Dimitra Verra, Central London community healthcare NHS trust; Rachel Ball, University hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire; Mark Edwards, ABMU health board; Fiona Brannan, Warwickshire Music; Erin Wilson, Warrington and Halton hospitals NHS trust; Ruth Louise Poole, Cedar, Cardiff and Vale university health board
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Prison choir project scoops UK healthcare award for "choral cure"
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