Billericay has its Fairtrade Town Status Renewed

The Fairtrade Foundation has renewed Billericay’s Fairtrade Town status for a further two years to June 2011

The renewal from the Foundation reads “It is my great pleasure to confirm that the first renewal application for Fairtrade status has been successful”. 

It is clear that the local campaign has continued to make progress over the last few years and to win over new hearts and minds in addition to maintain existing support. Well done and our thanks to everyone for the hard work that has obviously gone into promoting Fairtrade and winning new support.

The work of the “24/7 Steering Group” - a highly motivated group of consultants at Basildon University Hospital – scooped the top award in the “Leadership for Improvement” category in The East of England Health and Social Care Awards, held in May at Stockbrook Manor in Billericay. 

The annual awards are the flagship event for health and social care in the region. This year saw a record 145 entries - a 40 per cent increase on the number of entries received last year - showcasing a range of excellent health and social care initiatives that have been developed across the east of England. 

The doctors at Basildon were singled out for coming together voluntarily to drive forward changes to improve patient care, with one of the judges commenting that it was “very refreshing project, with consultants really taking leadership within the Trust”. 

Chaired by Dr David Gertner, Clinical Director for Medicine and Emergency Care, and made up of six consultants from across all medical disciplines, the group’s objectives included: increasing consultant cover over evenings and weekends; improving the quality of care offered to patients, particularly within the first 24 hours; lowering mortality rates and creating a more efficient system of working. 

Working in partnership with representatives from NHS South West Essex and social services, plans were developed and implemented in just six months.  All other medical consultants at the hospital were consulted about proposed changes to their working hours that would be required in order to provide evening and weekend cover and agreed to them without the need for formal consultation.