Coloplast’s, NHS Partnership Manager, Shaun Hopkins, and Registered Nurse, Tracey Murphy – Winners of the Account Project Award.
What do you do at Coloplast?
SH: I am an NHS Partnership Manager and believe I have one of the most fulfilling jobs in the industry. I am responsible for devising and implementing joint working projects, which improve the lives of people living with intimate healthcare needs, such as life-saving gastric surgery from cancer, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
TM: I am a member of the Coloplast Nursing Team and specialise in Urology, focusing on the teaching of intermittent self-catheterisation.
How did you feel about winning a prestigious Pf Award?
SH: At first I didn’t hear, as the lady announced the winner as ‘La La Land’ and the room erupted. Somebody on my table said, “Shaun you’ve won, you should probably stand up!”.
TM: I was amazed, the candidates were all so deserving. I feel very proud that our work has been recognised in this way.
What was your experience like on Assessment Day?
SH: The day was very professionally run, the instructions were clear and I was very impressed by the level of thought that had gone into the day. All candidates were extremely friendly and there was plenty of time to catch up with friends. The best part of the day was the engagement from the judges – all three of them were incredibly attentive.
TM: I was nervous, but the judges were welcoming and interested in our work. They asked questions which gained insight, and explored the nature of what we were trying to achieve. The project means so much to us and being able to showcase the results was a privilege.
What was the key to your success in the Account Project category?
SH: Three things – delivering a truly great NHS project, keeping it simple when explaining the project, and being engaging.
TM: Patient outcomes and collaborative working. Working alongside the CCG enabled this project to work on all levels. The medicines management team were at every clinic with me, validating cost savings, but also ensuring that clinical recommendation was amended on the patient’s prescriptions to avoid delays. Some of the patients that took part had had no healthcare input, regarding their continence, for up to 20 years. Seeing the improvements that clinics made to their self-esteem and quality of life was a true measure of the success.
How will winning the award inspire you?
SH: We know our projects have a life-changing impact on patients, but winning an award has demonstrated that the projects we invest so much time and resources in are truly best-in-class for the pharma and medtech industries. This is something that Coloplast, Tracey and I are immensely proud of.
TM: A project this big is very exciting, but also very challenging. When you are able to see the value to patients and the cost savings to the NHS it inspires you to carry on. This project is just the beginning – we are talking to neighbouring CCGs to replicate the work in other areas.
Tell us more about Coloplast, its aims and ethos.
SH: Coloplast’smission is to make life easier for people with intimate healthcare needs. Our vision is to achieve that through setting the global standard in listening and responding. This mindset ensures that whatever your role at Coloplast, you are always challenging yourself to understand the needs of consumers and customers.
What are you working on at the moment?
SH: One of the challenges in our market is the lack of specialist nurses, like Tracey. We are working on models that increase access to better care for more patients.
TM: I am working alongside Urology departments in the South East to provide support and teaching to new patients.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working in the healthcare arena?
SH: It’s the feeling you get when a project team delivers a project successfully. We all work exceptionally hard in this industry and encounter many challenges, therefore success should be celebrated before moving on to the next big thing.
TM: I have been a registered nurse for 20 years and worked in many fields of nursing. The role has always been about the patient. To be able to make a difference to someone
is the most powerful thing you can do.
How do you feel your company makes a difference?
SH: Coloplast makes a huge difference in a number of ways. Firstly, our world-class innovative R&D teams are passionate about making the best products on the market. Secondly, the people at Coloplast are united in their goal – it’s like an army of people who want to help consumers forget about their intimate condition. Also, the services and projects that we invest in, combined with the products and people, have resulted in a winning formula.
TM: Coloplast was founded by a nurse looking for a solution to her sister’s need for a stoma management device. Coloplast’s mission is to make life easier for people with intimate heathcare needs, and its nursing team, are the embodiment of that. They also have a portfolio of devices that are able to change the way people live and cutting edge design that focuses on what patients need.
What ambitions are you keen to fulfil in the future?
SH: To lead a national team that can deliver hundreds of these projects. I would get tremendous fulfilment from helping so many people.
TM: I am hoping to increase the number of clinics, with an increased number of patients. I am also keen to undertake my MSc in Urology and work towards promotion. In all honesty, as long as I continue to improve lives, I’ll be happy.
