![Emergency care team standing together to highlight performance target.](https://www.nth.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/bis-images/20172/performance-target-1-scaled-800x450-f50_50.jpg)
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is set to benefit from a national funding boost as recognition for the speed and quality of care given to patients.
The Trust has been awarded £5million as part of NHS England’s winter incentive initiative.
It recognises trusts who exceed 80% of emergency care patients being treated within four hours and completing more than 90% of ambulance patient handovers within 30 minutes.
The Trust is regularly one of the best performing organisations in the country against the ‘four hour standard’ benchmark.
This sets a target of a maximum four-hour wait in urgent and emergency care from arrival to being admitted to a hospital ward, transferred or discharged out of the Trust’s care.
Stacey Hunter, group chief executive, said: “This fantastic news is the result of the work of staff across the organisation.
“From those staff in our urgent and emergency care departments, to those in hospital ward areas and out in the community – this is a sign of the collective work of people across the Trust.
Working with regional partners
“It is also thanks to the work of all our partners – including our neighbouring health trusts, the ambulance service, local authorities and voluntary organisations.
“When I arrived in the area some months ago, I had already heard so much of how successfully the whole health system here in the north east worked together and it has certainly proven to be the case.
“This funding will be available to put directly back into initiative to improve the care we give to our patients.”
Kevin Moore, clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said: “As I have said before, though I am rightly proud of the team I work with in urgent and emergency care and the significant part we have played in our ongoing success, this is also a group effort across the organisation, with our group partners at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the entire regional network of health organisations.
“From the team here in my department, to the teams in the hospital wards, to the staff in our community teams and the support staff who ensure things run as smoothly as possible, to all of our partners in the region, everyone has played a part.”