News & Events
SDHCP Shortlisted for HSJ Awards 2025 in Transforming Care for Older People
Surrey Downs Health and Care Partnership (SDHCP) is proud to announce that it has been shortlisted in the prestigious HSJ Awards 2025 under the newly introduced category of Transforming Care for Older People. This recognition celebrates SDHCP’s innovative joined-up neighbourhood model, delivering care through a formal provider partnership made up of community services, St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group Trust, Surrey County Council, and three GP federations who are committed to making a difference to best meet the health and care needs of older members of our community.
At the heart of this achievement is a remarkable collective effort by the dedicated and compassionate teams who come together to form a truly integrated model of care and who consistently put patients at the centre of every decision and action. The model has fundamentally changed how services are delivered, integrating health and care staff across organisational lines, empowering teams and embedding proactive, joint planning and seamless transitions between services. Older people now receive coordinated, personalised care from local neighbourhood teams, with a seamless handover to specialist frailty outreach services when needed.
As the NHS evolves to meet the complex needs of an ageing population, this award category highlights projects that have successfully delivered integrated, person-centred care focused on prevention, early intervention, and effective coordination. This year’s awards attracted more than 1,250 entries from across the health sector and was judged by a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community. With only 245 projects and individuals making it through to the final shortlist, the competition was incredibly tough, demonstrating the impressive scale of talent, commitment, and impact across the NHS and wider healthcare landscape.
Thirza Sawtell, Managing Director for Integrated Care St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospital Group said:
“SDHCP is delighted to be shortlisted and recognised among the leading NHS-led initiatives transforming care for older people.
The success of our integrated model is a testament to the collaborative spirit and dedication of professionals across health and social care teams. Their seamless coordination and shared commitment to delivering the right care at the right time have improved health outcomes for our residents, empowered them to live more independently and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions where possible. We look forward to building on our successes and setting further groundwork to meet future healthcare demands while aligning with the national vision”.
HSJ Editor Alastair McLellan commented:
“On behalf of all my colleagues, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Surrey Downs Health & Care Partnership on being shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Transforming Care for older people.
“We’re all very much looking forward to welcoming our finalists to the awards ceremony in November, celebrating their impressive achievements and jointly acknowledging our values of sharing best practice, improving patient outcomes and continuously driving for better service. But we never forget that the award ceremony is not just a celebration within a night, but a platform to recognise the hard work of all our NHS staff, all year round.”
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in November at Evolution London. The event celebrates excellence in healthcare, promotes best practice, and recognises the people and projects improving outcomes for patients nationwide