The entire Acute Medical Unit* at Calderdale Royal Hospital have scooped this month's latest Star Award.

Consultant Nick Scriven nominated them describing them as being "a complete" team including nurses, housekeepers, consultants, doctors, domestics, physios, occupational therapists, pharamacists. 

They work in one of the most stressful areas of the Trust, he said, yet "they do so with the utmost professionalism but also compassion and remain upbeat despite everything thrown at them."

In the past year they have cared for 12,000 non-surgical patients - referred from GPs or A&E - and their outcomes are amongst the top 25% on the country. The team assesses, stabilises or makes decisions on admitting or going home.

At a recent international Acute Medicine Conference they presented their adoption of the "Safety Huddle" - the pioneering way of improving patient care through a key handover of all the important information at the start of a shift.

Dr Scriven added: "They are always looking for ways to improve outcomes and experience for all patients seen whether in ambulatory care or in the main ward." He also said they were always striving to improve.
 

He added: "At this busiest time of the year, they maintain their standards under immense pressure and every one of them is a star!"

Sister Lynsey Whitelam, said: "Everybody here is lovely. Everybody looks after each other and that creates great team spirit."

Sister Lisa Richards has been on the unit since 2001 - since she qualified. She said: "We are like a work family - like a soap opera. You find out bits about everybody's life. We thrive on challenge to do the best for our patients."  

Heathcare assistant Pamela King, said: "I can't imagine working anywhere else."

*The formal name for medical assesment unit