An Ilkley online education provider played host to its Annual Lean Healthcare Conference and Awards at a Leeds hotel.

Representatives from NHS hospital trusts and private healthcare organisations gathered at the Marriott Hotel in Leeds for the awards, held by Ilkley company Virtual College.

Providing a platform for healthcare organisations to celebrate and share best practice, the conference and awards is the only event of its kind in the country dedicated to Lean working methodologies in healthcare.

The Lean philosophy, traditionally associated with Japanese car manufacturing, has evolved from a tool designed to improve operational shop-floor performance.

Now, a growing number of forward- thinking hospitals, community health services, back-office workers and senior healthcare executives are increasingly applying Lean, waste reduction techniques and continuous improvement in their everyday work.

Over 100 entries from healthcare organisations went through the independent judging process, which saw a total of 24 short-listed healthcare organisations exhibiting and presenting their Lean projects in a series of workshops throughout the day.

Director of the Health and Social Care Division of Virtual College, Judith Clarkson, said: “The quality of submissions we saw this year is a great demonstration of the commitment and passion in healthcare, despite a difficult year. All projects have made a positive impact on patient experience.”