Chesterfield GP surgery 'proud' after national award win amid challenges of pandemic

The Brimington Surgery was named Practice Team of the Year at the ‘prestigious’ Primary Care Awards 2021 after being shortlisted alongside five other top performing surgeries from across the UK.

Practice manager Paula Elliott said the ‘extra efforts’ of the pandemic had led to a ‘remarkably high’ morale at the Church Street surgery.

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“We were excited to have made the final six of this prestigious award and surprised and proud to be announced the winners after hearing about all the hard work each practice had put into this difficult year over and above the usual work we all do,” Paula said.

“We have lost colleagues and friends but despite this, the morale of the team at The Brimington Surgery has been remarkably high.”

The awards were presented at a virtual black tie event held by Williams Medical and the Institute of Health and Social Care Management.

They aimed to ‘recognise, celebrate and thank primary care practices who work so hard for their local communities’.

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Williams Medical said the ‘quantity and quality’ of nominations this year was exceptional, and the judges ‘had a tough job choosing the six finalists’.

“We have all been buoyed by the extra efforts everyone has made to look after each other and our patients,” Paula said.

“Supported by our wonderful GP partners, Drs Fordham, White, Roberts and Bellingham, we have been able to run many virtual events such as quizzes and a murder mystery, raising money for Ashgate Hospice."

The surgery also helped raise morale by organising a ‘school sports day’ and a socially-distanced Christmas Grotto which moved ‘some staff to tears – in a good way’, Paula said.

There were further celebrations when the practice achieved The LGBT Foundation Pride in Practice Gold award for excellence in LGBTQ+ healthcare and retained its Dignity Award, having been the first GP surgery in Chesterfield to receive the accolade.

“It has certainly been a challenging but in many ways fulfilling period in our practice history,” Paula added.

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