The former CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis UK Richard Driscoll received the coveted Healthcare Communications Advocate Award at last night’s Communiqué Awards in London.
Driscoll, who stepped down from the role in December 2012, headed up the charity for 21 years and led it to its current position as the most significant charity within the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) community.
His work with the charity culminated in the introduction of national standards for IBD that have brought sustained improvements in the care for NHS patients.
Before tonight Driscoll had already steered Crohn’s and Colitis UK to win the Communiqué Award for Best Patient or Professional Association in both 2006 and 2008, and in 2009/10 the charity was one of the first to gain the Department of Health Information Standard accreditation.
The Communiqué programme, which took place at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, is run by PMLiVE publishers PMGroup and is specifically designed to recognise and commend excellence and best practice in local, European and international healthcare communications.
Driscoll’s drive to improve healthcare services for IBD has long been well regarded by both professional healthcare communicators and the medical profession.
Sarah Rogers, managing director of Healthcare Solutions PR, said: “I consider myself to have been privileged to work with Richard Driscoll over the last 13 years. I can honestly say that I have worked with many brilliant communicators in my career in medical PR, but Richard is unique in his ability to combine strategic results delivery with professionalism and true compassion.”
Crohn’s and Colitis UK (formerly the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease) now supports thousands of patients and their families each year, providing a network of 70 local volunteer groups and funding £500,000 of research annually.
Professor Jon Rhodes, former president of the British Society of Gastroenterology, said: “Richard has an exceptional ability to understand how to enhance patient care and support even when dealing with often opaque and constantly changing health care management systems.
“Richard has striven tirelessly and extremely effectively to raise public awareness of the distress caused by Crohn’s and Colitis and to improve services for patients and families affected by these conditions.”
Since January this year Driscoll has continued to focus on patient engagement and quality improvement in health services for long-term conditions as an independent healthcare and voluntary sector consultant.
• See the full results of the Communiqué Awards 2013
• See all the photos from the Communiqué Awards 2013