29 Oct 2026
Highlights
- South West neonatal oral antibiotic project and national medicines safety improvement programme both highly commended at 2026 HSJ Patient Safety Awards
- Both projects are supported by Health Innovation South West to improve patient safety and experience in the South West
Two initiatives supported by Health Innovation South West have been given high commendation at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards ceremony on 28 September 2026, held at Telford International Centre.
The awards celebrate outstanding contributions to patient safety across health and care, with 217 finalists reaching the 2026 shortlist following a rigorous judging process.
The NOAH (Neonatal Oral Antibiotics at Home) project by Health Innovation South West, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, and South West Neonatal Network, was recognised in the Maternity, Midwifery and Neonatal Safety Initiative of the Year category for its innovative neonatal pathway helping families to go home sooner, while easing pressure on hospitals.
The success of the project has resulted in 2.7 hospital days saved per baby and a potential £66.5K annual cost saving to the Exeter-based Trust, according to our evaluation. Reducing length of hospital admission is important in a rural and coastal region like the South West, where families might need to travel potentially hundreds of miles to the next closest maternity and neonatal unit with availability.
The national Medicines Safety Improvement Programme was also highly commended for Best Use of Integrated Care and Partnership Working in Patient Safety. Health Innovation South West is one of 15 health innovation networks working in partnership with Integrated Care Systems across England to implement this programme to reduce harm from psychotropics in people with learning disabilities. Learn more.
The HSJ Patient Safety Awards recognises the people and organisations making a tangible difference to patient safety, quality and outcomes across health and care.
More information about NOAH can be found here:
NOAH (Neonatal Oral Antibiotics at Home) – Health Innovation South West
