Taurus Healthcare is celebrating after the ‘Super Green’ Clinic, won the Infection Prevention and Control Category in the prestigious national Nursing Times Awards.

The Super Green Clinic was set up with support from across General Practice to provide workforce at a central site (Sarum House Surgery, Hereford) during the height of the pandemic in March. It offered a safe environment for the most vulnerable ‘shielding’ patients to receive non-COVID related medical interventions – for example, medications, blood tests and essential injections.

A Super Green Home visiting service was also made available in collaboration with the district nursing team for those patients who were unable to leave their homes. Further support was provided by volunteers and staff from Cantilupe Surgery in Hereford.

The nurse led service complemented the other GP-led services made available throughout the county during the pandemic and formed part of a carefully planned strategy coordinated by all Herefordshire GP surgeries with Taurus Healthcare.

The Nursing Time Awards were held virtually on the evening of Wednesday 18 November. On hearing the news, Sister Deborah Suer, an experienced practice nurse from St Katherine’s Surgery in Ledbury who led the Super Green team said:

“The Super Green Clinic was made up of 15 staff including four dedicated volunteers. Working together we used our strengths to set up the surgery and after just five days were able to start treating our first patients. Each member of the team brought their own set of skills to enhance patient care during an exceptionally challenging time. To lead and manage such a successful and professional team of individuals dedicated to keeping shielded patients safe during the pandemic makes me feel immensely proud to be a nurse.”

Nurse Practitioner Cate Lamport, who accepted the award on behalf of the Super Green Team, added:

“The Super Green Clinic team-nursing staff, volunteers and admin staff were delighted to be awarded such a prestigious award during COVID19 and in the year of the Nurse! It was an innovative clinic that was set up very quickly to meet the nursing needs of the shielded patients across Herefordshire. It was an amazing team to work with!”

Finally, Dr Mike Hearne, Managing Director of Taurus Healthcare commented:

“I knew it was impressive when the Super Green service was set up, but it’s absolutely fantastic to have the work that you have all done recognised in this national award. It’s a service that fully deserves the award and highlights the professionalism and dedication of the team. Thank you for all your hard work to make this service such a success. The whole Taurus team and I are absolutely thrilled to bits!”

Further celebrations ensued on the following Thursday evening, 19 November, when the Super Green Team was awarded the Sunshine Radio ‘NHS Hero’ Pride Award, again held remotely.  The team was congratulated by the judges on the extraordinary work they had done during the pandemic.

The Super Green clinic was disbanded in August when local COVID case numbers declined. As numbers rose again in the county, GP surgeries and Primary Care Networks established their own processes and procedures to keep all patients and staff safe.

You can read a full article on the work of the Super Green team that was published in the August 2021 edition of The Nursing Times.