A&E mental health initiative is shortlisted for two Nursing Times Awards
Pictured: GMMH and WWL staff at Wigan A&E. ( Credit: WWL).
A collaborative initiative to improve the experience for people attending A&E with mental health needs, has been shortlisted for two prestigious Nursing Times Awards 2025.
The initiative, delivered in partnership between Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL), and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), has been shortlisted in two categories:
- Mental Health Nursing
- Critical and Emergency Care Nursing
The organisations have been recognised for working together to transform the mental health referral process at the A&E department at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan, meaning patients are now being seen faster, more safely, and in the best environment.
Led by Alison Murphy, Matron at WWL, and supported by colleagues across both NHS trusts, the initiative introduced a Digital Mental Health Referral Form that has significantly improved the speed, clarity, and effectiveness of referrals from triage to mental health teams.
When someone attends A&E in Wigan, WWL’s triage staff will first assess their needs. Where they require mental health support, they will then be referred on to GMMH’s Mental Health Liaison Team (MHLT), who are also based at the A&E department, in a separate dedicated area called the ‘Makerfield Suite’. There, a MHLT mental health practitioner will then provide a full mental health assessment and work together with the patient to create an action plan to best help them.
Pictured: The Makerfield Suite is purpose-built mental health assessment area, providing a calm and comfortable environment for people in a mental health crisis, as part of Wigan's main Emergency Department.
Previously, referrals to the MHLT relied on handwritten, scanned forms that were emailed manually—which could result in delays or errors. The new digital system auto-populates patient information, sends referrals in real time, and integrates directly with the electronic patient record system.
This has led to:
- A reduction in average referral time from 68 minutes to just 4 minutes
- A decrease in average assessment time from 148 minutes to 49 minutes
- An increase in patients streamed to the MHLT Makerfield Suite from 76% to 85%
The project was developed collaboratively by nurses in diverse roles from both NHS trusts, including WWL’s A&E team, WWL’s Digital Team, and GMMH’s Mental Health Liaison team.
It demonstrates the power of partnership working, innovation, and nurse-led leadership.
Alison Murphy, Matron at WWL, said:
“The focus of this project was to improve the journey of mental health patients visiting A&E by reducing the referral time from arrival to being assessed by a mental health practitioner.
“Waiting in a busy A&E waiting room can be a really distressing experience, particularly for those struggling with their mental health, and so I wanted to find a way to ensure that patients with mental health concerns could access the Makerfield Suite and the MHLT as soon as possible.
“I enrolled onto the Trust’s Digital Champions Programme, which enabled me to identify how the digitisation of this process could create improvements.
“By working together across teams, we have achieved amazing results. We are now looking at how this digital process can be rolled out across other A&E departments so as many people as possible can benefit.”
Abigail Webster, Quality Matron at GMMH’s urgent care services in Wigan said:
“Being nominated for the Nursing Times award is an incredible honour. This journey started with one shared vision: to make sure that when someone attends the emergency department with a mental health need, they receive the right care, at the right time and through the right pathway.
“It has been a privilege to be a part of a project to improve patient experience. By transforming the referral to triage process, we have built faster response times, a smoother pathway between GMMH and WWL, and moved to a fully digital system that gives our clinicians quicker access to the information they need to make safe and timely decisions, reducing delays and duplication.
“This work has been a real team effort, bringing together colleagues from across services who share a passion for improving patient experience. It has been a true collaboration and commitment to all those involved to ensure we are delivering faster, safer and connected care for those arriving at the emergency department."
Paula Solomon, Deputy Chief Nurse at GMMH said:
“This was a real joint effort, with a lot of thought, time and care put in by all organisations and teams involved. It is a fantastic example of how, through close collaboration, creativity and passion, a simple change can make a huge difference.
“The initiative was driven by the nursing staff who work directly with patients on a daily basis, and we are so pleased to see their success recognised on a national level by the Nursing Times.”
The Nursing Times Awards celebrate excellence in nursing and midwifery, recognising outstanding contributions across 25 categories. They bring together the nursing community to shine a light on the brightest talent in the profession and recognise those making nursing innovative, patient-focused and inclusive. By acknowledging those who go above and beyond, they aim to inspire excellence throughout the nursing and midwifery community, advancing patient care and the healthcare profession as a whole.
Winners will be announced at the Nursing Times Awards 2025 ceremony in London on Wednesday 22 October 2025.
