South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust (SWLSTG) took home two awards on a successful evening last night.

Wandsworth Behaviour and Communication Support Service (BACCS) and The Lotus Assessment Suite received the London Health Innovation Award and Nursing in Mental Health Award on November 2 respectively.

The trust was also shortlisted for the Older People in Care Award at the national Nursing Times Awards 2017.

Katie Whitehead, lead nurse at Wandsworth BACCS, said: “We are delighted to have won the award for innovation.

“This funding will be used to improve the management and treatment of depression in older people residing in care homes by teaching staff – through interventions – to improve their confidence and ability to identify symptoms of depression.”

Wandsworth BACCS can now undertake a full audit of a previous smaller initiative as part of the Older People’s Nursing Fellowship project and assist with people across the borough.

It will focus on three interventions during the project, including a teaching session for care home staff to improve their ability to identify symptoms of depression, and implement a depression-specific care plan to ensure residents take their antidepressant medication before it is documented.

The Lotus Assessment Suite, a new psychiatric decision unit opened by Justine Greening MP in November 2016, seeks to improve the overall experience of mental health patients in crisis by reducing the demand on A&E departments locally by providing an alternative.

It can allow for mental health staff to undertake thorough and informed assessments of more complex patients who are in need of support.

David Bradley, chief executive of SWLSTG, said: “We are incredibly proud of these two teams and are delighted that the excellent innovation and hard work of our staff has been recognised in this way.

“Our BACSS service goes from strength to strength each year providing support for care home staff to manage challenging behaviour in older people.

“Since it opened last year, the Lotus Assessment Suite has provided our patients with a safe, calm environment away from the high stimulus environment of A&E, giving our clinicians the time and space they need to make informed decisions and to agree follow up support.”

The Nursing Times Awards is now in its 27th year and aims to represent 'true excellence in nursing and patient care' and praise efforts of nursing staff across the United Kingdom.