Innovative testing to help vulnerable people in custody has seen our healthcare team in Devon and Cornwall receive a prestigious national award.

The Custody Services team was presented with the inaugural Julie Tekin Award for Outstanding Contribution in Forensic Healthcare by the UK Association of Forensic Nurses and Paramedics (UKAFN).

Judges praised their ground-breaking work on the implementation of dry blood spot testing for Hepatitis, for drug and alcohol-dependent patients arriving into police custody.

“Many of these clients have chaotic lifestyles and healthcare is not a priority, and this initiative has far-reaching positive outcomes for these detainees,” said Mark Hardie, Clinical Lead for Devon and Cornwall Custody Services.

“G4S nurses and paramedics working in police custodies in Devon and Cornwall identify high-risk patients, and then forward dry blood samples on to the NHS,” he explained.

“Positive patient cases will then be managed by the NHS, offering ongoing care and support through the Hep C Trust and NHS Hepatology nationally.”

Jon Allen, Head of Custody Services for G4S Health Services, said: “I’m so pleased for Mark and the team in Devon and Cornwall. This award demonstrates our ethos of supporting these often vulnerable patients and making every contact count.”

Andew MacCallum, Managing Director, said: “Developing innovative clinical practice to improve health outcomes is what drives our business to always do the best we can for our customers and patients – and this award acknowledges that fact.”