Royal Bolton Hospital is joining celebrations after an innovative service it uses won a national award.
The text messaging service, ChatHealth, was taken up by the hospital in October 2019 as a way for parents and young people to reach trusted healthcare advice and support.
The service, which runs in 50 hospitals across the UK, has now been honoured in the Nursing in Mental Health category of the Nursing Times Awards.
Judges praised ChatHealth for providing an innovative solution to accessing mental health support, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, as face to face contact in health settings has been limited.
They felt it had a great reach, and liked the fact that it gave coverage to social issues as well as mental health support
Kerry Riley, matron for public health at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust said: "ChatHealth has been an invaluable way of parents contacting our team to get a more rapid response to their queries and concerns.
"Particularly during lockdown, this service has been a lifeline.
"Having a system where both parents and young people between 11-19 can text us if they have an issue they’d like help with has helped us to continue to provide help and support when our face to face contact has been so limited."
ChatHealth was selected in a category out of 11 entries.
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