Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Age UK Norwich Named Finalists for Prestigious HSJ Patient Safety Award
Published on 12 June 2025 11:54 AM
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and Age UK Norwich are proud to announce they have been named finalists for the 2025 HSJ Patient Safety Awards in the "Patient Involvement in Safety" category. The recognition is for their collaborative video project, "Alice’s Story: Healthcare Missed Opportunities in Falls Prevention," developed in partnership with local creative company Sponge.
The short, animated film tells the powerful and emotional story of Alice, an older woman whose fall could have been prevented. Drawing on the real-life experiences of local clients and volunteers, the project highlights the crucial need for improved awareness, communication, and coordination in falls prevention. The video aims to empower healthcare professionals by illustrating missed opportunities and encouraging reflective, patient-centred practice.
In addition to the video, several supporting resources have been made available to enhance learning and raise awareness. These include links to relevant NICE guidelines, which are highlighted in the film and used to show how missed opportunities relate to failures in following recommended best practices.
This project forms part of the wider work that Age UK Norwich and NNUH have undertaken on falls prevention. This includes interviews with clients who had experienced hospital admissions, which directly informed the video's content and helped shape Alice’s story.
This nomination marks a significant achievement in spotlighting how creative storytelling and lived experience can drive meaningful improvements in patient safety.
The project would not have been possible without the dedication and vision of a collaborative team. We would like to thank:
- Anna Skipper – Falls Prevention & Management Lead NNUH
- Rosie Bloomfield – Patient Engagement & Experience Facilitator NNUH
- Anna Duckworth – Patient Safety Learning Coordinator NNUH
- Dan Skipper – CEO Age UK Norwich
- Megan Durrant – Marketing and Communications Lead Age UK Norwich
- The clients and volunteers whose stories gave voice to the film
- Helen Fullerton, who brought Alice to life with her moving narration
- And the entire creative team at Sponge for their expert support and partnership
This recognition affirms our shared commitment to putting patients at the heart of safety and improving outcomes for older people at risk of falling.
The winners of the HSJ Patient Safety Awards will be announced in September this year.