6 October 2026
A pioneering NHS project that uses data to improve care for children and young people requiring surgical orthodontic treatment has won a national patient safety award.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, won the Advancing Patient Safety with Data and Analytics category at the 2026 HSJ Patient Safety Awards, one of the most prestigious and competitive awards programmes in UK healthcare.
The award-winning project, led by SaTH’s Orthodontic and Oral Surgery teams, transformed the pathway for children and young people requiring surgical exposure of impacted maxillary canines, a procedure commonly carried out as part of orthodontic treatment.
Before the project, patients referred from Orthodontics to Oral Surgery often experienced significant delays before receiving the treatment they needed.
The teams redesigned the pathway using data analysis to identify risks and better match patients with the right assessment route. This has improved access to care, reduced delays and helped patients receive treatment more quickly.
As a result, referral-to-assessment waiting times have reduced by between 69% and 88%, while assessment-to-surgery waiting times have also fallen significantly. More than 200 patients have benefited from the improvements to date.
The judging panel praised the initiative, describing it as an “outstanding, patient-centred project demonstrating how data-driven pathway redesign can improve safety, experience and efficiency.”
Dr John Jones, Group Chief Medical Officer, said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious national award, which recognises the dedication, innovation and collaboration of our Orthodontic, Oral Surgery and Service Improvement teams.
“This project has delivered real and measurable improvements for children and young people by reducing waiting times and ensuring they receive the care they need more quickly.
“It is a fantastic example of how using data intelligently can help us improve patient safety, enhance the experience of care and make better use of our resources. The success of this work is something our colleagues should be extremely proud of.”
Leonie Seager, Consultant Orthodontist and Project Lead, said: “This project demonstrates that data is much more than a reporting tool. By placing data at the centre of pathway design, we were able to identify risk, redesign care and deliver measurable improvements in patient safety, patient experience and access to care.
“Winning a national HSJ Patient Safety Award is a testament to the hard work, commitment and expertise of the entire multidisciplinary team. Most importantly, it reflects the positive difference this work has made for the children and young people we care for.”