Publish date: 2 October 2026
A Tameside NHS project which uses the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI)to support patients at risk of emergency department (A&E) attendance has been recognised by receiving a prestigious national award.
The Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust ‘High Risk Attender MDT - Harnessing the Power of AI to Proactively Safeguard Against Avoidable ED Attendance’ project was the winner in the ‘Urgent and Emergency Care Patient Safety Initiative of the Year’ category of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards held at the HSJ National Patient Safety Congress held in Telford, Shropshire.
This project uses AI to identify patients at high risk of reattending Tameside Hospital emergency department within the next month.
By analysing routine clinical and demographic data, the model provides real‑time risk scores, enabling earlier intervention, needs assessment from clinical teams and targeted community care.
Developed collaboratively across clinical and digital staff, the approach strengthens preventative care, supports evidence-based decision making, and aims to reduce avoidable emergency care pressure.
Although it is early in deployment, the project is already demonstrating potential to improve patient outcomes and system efficiency. It is also helping to identify potential issues within our wider health and care system.
In presented the award, The HSJ Judges said this was an ‘outstanding innovation in urgent and emergency care’.
Karen James OBE, Chief Executive for Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said: “This is a truly innovative project, using the latest technology to have a real positive impact in supporting those patients who are at most risk of emergency care. Receiving this HSJ Patient Safety Award is a much deserved recognition of our teams’ ambition, creativity and commitment in keeping patients safe, and we are very proud of their achievement.”
