Create+ Wins Two National Awards

On 6th November 2024 Lime’s pioneering Arts Referral Service for MFT Staff, Create+ was announced Gold Winner in the categories of ‘Best Collaborative Arts Project (Performance)’ and the Special Award Category for ‘Clinician’s Choice’ at the national Building Better Healthcare Awards, held in London.

The event, in its 26th year, rewards some of the most innovative projects and products in the healthcare sector. With 21 awards up for grabs, the panel of industry-leading judges looked at four areas – technology, patient experience, estates and facilities management, and building design.

Three “Special Awards” were given at the end – Patients’ Choice Award, Clinicians’ Choice Award, and the Grand Prix Design Award. With Lime taking home the prestigious Clinician’s Choice Award.

Judges on the panel commented “This winning project really stuck with the judging panel. This entry tackles the real problem in the NHS with staff mental health and so can impact all the patient’s who rely on them”.

“Create+ is making a huge impact on the lives of hospital staff and is well deserving of this win” 

Winners ranged from major hospitals, to small, influential community-based facilities; from software and hardware designed to help the sector, to impressive arts projects which are helping to humanise hospital environments.

Lime’s Director Dawn Prescott commented, “We are delighted to have received national recognition for the Create+ project. The evidence base we have developed clearly demonstrates the impact this unique arts programme is having on our burnt-out NHS workforce. To receive the special ‘Clinicians Choice’ award over all entries is an accolade to this impact, and also a great honour.”

Create+ is the first Arts Referral Service for NHS employees in the UK. NHS frontline workers at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust who are on sick leave, on a phased return to work, or who are at risk of going off sick with stress, burnout or anxiety can attend a 6-week programme at Lime’s purpose- built hospital-based print studio.  Sessions are run by professional artists, using creativity as a therapeutic intervention. The programme is a huge success and a valued part of MFT’s wellbeing offer to staff – with one consultant experiencing post-pandemic PTSD crediting Create+ as helping her to return to work, and a clinical manager at the MRI regularly referring staff into the Create+ programme.

We are currently accepting referrals onto Create+.  MFT Managers can refer staff by emailing [email protected]