Tower Hamlets Together, the borough’s partnership of local health and social care organisations, of which the GP Care Group is a member, won for our work to create a “Family-Focused Multi-Agency Shielding Support for Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Children”.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) children.

For these children, shielding in Tower Hamlets meant not attending school, minimal outdoor play, and limited social interaction. The project team developed a multi-agency group to ensure that children were correctly identified, and their families and schools were informed and supported.

Around 800 families with CEV children were contacted with 903 referrals made to services for children and families. ‘Play-bags’ were offered to CEV families to give children the opportunity to play and learn whilst shielding.

This recognition by HSJ Partnership Awards is a testament to all the work put in by everyone who was part of the project.

The editor of the Health Service Journal and host of the awards evening, Alastair McLellan, offered his congratulations to the teams on their success, “The entrants this year have once again been of the highest calibre, and each of the winners at the HSJ Partnership Awards has been chosen based on their outstanding commitment to innovation and collaboration in healthcare, I’d like to offer my congratulations to Tower Hamlets Together on winning the Local COVID-19 Response Partnership Award at this year’s HSJ Partnership Awards.”

Commenting about winning the award, Care Group Joint CEO Tracy Cannell said: “It was a true joint effort, jointly led and delivered with primary care services going above and beyond expectations to care for children and their families. This project is a reflection of how we have worked in all services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to support Tower Hamlets residents. I am also extremely proud of how our staff have responded and the efforts they have gone to during this difficult time.”

Attending the awards ceremony, which took place at the Evolution London on Tuesday 29 June 2021, was a small team comprising Tracy Cannell, Kam Kaur, Zubeda Khuyam (Nursery Nurse in School Health), and Katie Cole Associate Director Children and Young People Public Health.

Well done all!