Dr Rigby announced as Health Award finalist for helping to ensure Western Isles patients receive ‘Gold Standard’ care
Dr Dave Rigby from the Western Isles has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Scottish Health Awards!
Dave, who is Realistic Medicine and Therapeutics Clinical Lead for NHS Western Isles, was selected as a finalist in the Leader of the Year category out of more than 900 nominations to the Scottish Health Awards this year.
Dave, who is also a GP at Langabhat Medical Practice, was nominated by an NHS colleague for ‘true dedication to the continued development and progression of patient care in the Western Isles’.
Dave’s appointment to the role of Realistic Medicine and Therapeutics Clinical Lead has seen him work over various services across NHS Western Isles.
His nomination stated: “He has a passion for service development and his leadership, guidance and unwavering support has enabled groundbreaking developments in the Western Isles services. Dave has a passion to support staff development, empowering colleagues, encouraging learning, role development and further education. He provides an immense level of support behind the scenes, encouraging colleagues and services to grow and achieve, and generally sits quietly in the background, choosing to highlight colleagues and services rather than take any credit himself.”
Dave has been working in the Western Isles for 27 years. arriving in 1997 to take up the post of Associate GP between the independent Uig and Bernera, and South Lochs Practices.
He worked at North Lochs Medical Practice for the next ten years. With support from local physicians (Dr Vishu and Dr Achar) Dave became more involved in the emerging Managed Clinical Networks, bringing together multi-disciplinary working in areas such as Diabetes, Stroke and Cardiac Medicine. The early realisation of the benefits of working closely with colleagues across all sectors of health and social care emerged, to achieve better patient journeys and a patient centred approach.
This led to the role of Clinical Pathways Lead for Dave, alongside working as a GP. The arrival of the Realistic Medicine programme was a natural progression as this supported the development of services with the patient at the centre and staff at all levels being involved in development.
Whilst having no direct involvement in delivery, the role has allowed Dave to help staff develop services in areas such as Bone Health/Fracture Liaison/DXA scanning; Cardiac Diagnostics; Stroke Thrombolysis (and soon Thrombectomy); the Virtual Ward (Hospital at Home); and the programme to bring MRI scanning to the Island. All these with the aim of allowing patients to get as much investigation and care locally without the need to travel, which in turn helps with recruitment and retention and job satisfaction of staff in NHS Western Isles.
Dave’s nomination highlighted that Dave has dedicated his time and guidance (beyond that of his role) to support development of NHS Western Isles services, working alongside service leads and colleagues to provide guidance, develop pathways and create many ‘First for Scotland’ services.
“His guidance and leadership has ensured that patients in the Western Isles not only receive a level of care comparable with mainland boards, but often exceed it,” said the nomination. “NHS Western Isles has proven time and time again that rurality, geographical challenges and patient demographics are no barriers to achieving gold standard care across services, and there is no doubt that Dave has played a fundamental role in achieving this.
“Dave’s continued leadership and support to these services [Bone Health/Fracture Liaison/DXA scanning, Cardiac Diagnostics, Stroke Thrombolysis, and the Virtual Ward] has enabled thousands of NHS Western Isles patients to receive Gold Standard care both in the hospital and in their own homes.”
On hearing he was announced as a finalist for a Scottish Health Award, Dave said: “I must admit I am surprised as I see this as part of my job. I’m humbled and rather embarrassed to be honest, but delighted to help raise the profile of NHS Western Isles and the staff who work here at a national level whatever the outcome on the evening of the awards.”
NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, said: “Collaboration, innovation, vision, and good clinical leadership are the hallmarks of our best performing networks. Dave has been at the forefront of some of our most person-centred clinical innovations to improve the experience of those we serve. A well-deserved nomination.”
All at NHS Western Isles wish Dave the very best at the awards ceremony on November 2.
