HSJ Awards 2014: Provider Trust of the Year

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust

The judges praised “a great all round performer ensuring happy staff resulting in happy patients”.

A strong focus on staff engagement has helped Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Foundation Trust reduce mortality rates while achieving a cash surplus. The trust developed the “WWL Way” to trace the effect of engagement initiatives, using innovative techniques to discover which tool to best use for a given situation.

The WWL Way won an HSJ Award in 2013 and is being shared with other trusts as a best practice model. Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh has also acted to ensure it listens to service users – particularly those with criticisms.

Serious complaints are escalated, discussed and monitored on a weekly basis by two directors, and contact is made with complainants where appropriate. This staff and patient engagement has contributed to a 30 per cent drop in official mortality rates in the six years to 2013-14, with a similar fall in the pure number of deaths in hospital.

The trust has a financial risk rating of 4, achieved a surplus of £4 million and has a cash balance of £20 million. Its performance has been rated green by Monitor, and it hit the 18 week referralto treatment target in all specialties.