THE acute medicine team at the James Cook University Hospital has scooped a national award for being innovators in their field.

Dr Vince Connolly and his team won the acute medicine category, run in association with the Royal College of Physicians, at the Hospital Doctor Awards 2004.

The multi-million pound redevelopment at the Middlesbrough hospital allowed staff to transform the medical admissions unit from an inpatient service to, primarily, an outpatient one.

Now this front of house service includes a purpose-built 24-bed assessment unit with a resuscitation room for emergencies and a rapid access clinic next door, which is also used as an out-of-hours service by GPs.

At the awards ceremony at Park Lane, London, judge Dr John Collins, a general physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital, said: "The team had demonstrated a comprehensive interface with primary care.

"There is outstanding refinement of GP access, assessment and review.

"Dr Connolly had fostered a cheerful, calm and energetic atmosphere, and the standards of cleanliness are superb."

Dr Connolly, clinical director of acute medicine, said: "I'm absolutely delighted we have won this award. It goes towards recognising all of the hard work that has gone on in all the different strands of the directorate, and is a credit to the staff who work at the unit and hospital as a whole.

"The award came as a total surprise, but I am very proud of what we have achieved and of course the service has led to better, more timely and efficient healthcare for patients."

Staff at the acute assessment unit at the hospital see about 1,500 patients every month and between 45 and 50 per cent of people go home within 24-hours.