WingFactors 'Highly Commended' at Prestigious HSJ Partnership Awards

WingFactors has been Highly Commended for the Best Educational Partnership with the NHS at yesterday’s HSJ Partnership Awards 2021.

Following an extensive judging process, undertaken by a wide range of well-respected figures from across the UK healthcare community, the WingFactors Pilot Sim programme was awarded this honour in recognition of “outstanding contribution to healthcare” in partnership with the Whittington Health Trust in North London.

The programme grew out of airline staff volunteering, providing ‘tea and empathy’ in hospitals during the first wave of the pandemic. Pilots were invited in May last year to watch an in situ simulation training session in the Emergency Department at the Whittington. Detailed human factors observations were documented in a written report, capturing the imagination of the education fellow and trainees within the department. 

Over 100 sims later, WingFactors has an experienced team of pilots working with 3 different Trusts, across 8 different specialities, transforming the training landscape in hospitals. Participant feedback indicates that WingFactors are making a significant difference to healthcare teams’ confidence when tackling complex medical scenarios.

To be Highly Commended by the HSJ judging panel was an incredible honour for everyone involved in the collaboration. It has further inspired WingFactors to continue their partnership with the NHS even when the pilots eventually (!) return to a regular flying schedule. 

The editor of the Health Service Journal and host of the awards evening, Alastair McLellan, wrote: “Following on from what has been an incredibly tough and testing time for so many aspects of our healthcare industry, I’d like to offer my congratulations to WingFactors on being Highly Commended for the Best Educational Partnership with the NHS at this year’s HSJ Partnership Awards.”

Winners and those Highly Commended were announced during the first “in-person” awards ceremony to be held by the HSJ since the gradual easing Covid-19 restrictions. The evening celebrated the collaboration and innovation of private organisations and charities with the NHS at the Evolution London on 29^th June. 

This full list of the awards and nominees can be found  here