A CHESTER medical practice which has served the homeless community for 20 years has been recognised in the NHS awards.

St Werburgh’s Medical Practice for the Homeless, Chester has been chosen as a regional champion for the NHS Parliamentary Awards.

More than 100 nominations across 10 categories were submitted in the North West, by more than 50 MPs; more than have ever been involved before.

The Chester medical practice won the regional Excellence in Primary and Community Care award nod.

The team at St Weburgh’s Medical Practice for the Homeless in Chester, are a committed and highly motivated General Practice team, working to reach, enable, and provide our patients experiencing homelessness with health and wellbeing services.

They offer GP and nurse appointments as well as a successful in-house dietetic, chiropody, counselling, optician and mental health services. Regular multiagency working across health, social, statutory and third sector services facilitates its holistic approach.

A priority has been to provide safe spaces for vulnerable women and to develop a sexual assault referral pathway. During the pandemic they continued to work creatively to maintain face to face services, to increase vaccine uptake and to reach 'Everyone In'.

Dr Sarah Vellenoweth from St Werburgh’s Medical Practice said: “The team are delighted to be regional winners of the NHS parliamentary award for excellence in primary and community care.

"The practice has served the homeless community in Chester for 20 years. This award reflects the ongoing hard work and commitment the team has to providing accessible, flexible and individual holistic care to these vulnerable patients.

"We hope the award will raise the profile and concern for this group of patients who struggle to access mainstream services and we will continue to work creatively to meet their health needs.”

A spokesperson for NHS England and NHS Improvement in the North West said: “We were so impressed by the high standard of all the entries from the North West this year.

“Our regional judging panel found choosing the champions, amongst more than 100 excellent nominations, very difficult. We want to wish those representing the North West the best of luck at the NHS Parliamentary Awards ceremony.”

The 10 regional champions from the North West will now go head-to-head with others from across the country, that have been shortlisted, at the special awards ceremony on Wednesday, July 6, in Westminster.