A TEAM from Airedale Hospital has been shortlisted for an award.

Hearts in Little Hands – a group of doctors and nurses from the Emergency Department which teaches children, parents and carers CPR and basic lifesaving skills – is in the running for an NHS Parliamentary Award.

The team was nominated by Keighley MP Robbie Moore, in the Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care category.

Before the pandemic, Hearts in Little Hands visited primary schools across the area to share their expertise via demonstrations and songs.

Dr Annie Summers, speciality doctor in emergency medicine at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for this award.

“All of us feel really excited because we started this programme a few years ago and didn’t expect to get to here – we do it all in our own time.

“There was just a team of us who wanted to do more and teach these little ones some lifesaving skills. As a result, maybe one day they’ll be able to do something very simple and basic but enough to save someone’s life.”

More than 30,000 cardiac arrests a year happen outside of hospitals, where medical emergency services attempt resuscitation.

If CPR can be started early, chances of survival are doubled.

Dr Summers adds that it is planned to register the project as a charity in the coming months, so that more children can learn the skills.

The NHS Parliamentary Awards, sponsored by Fuji Film, were set-up as part of celebrations marking the 70th birthday of the NHS.

Mr Moore was among more than 260 MPs in England who put forward nominees.

He said: “For me, the Hearts in Little Hands team represents what’s best about our NHS.

“They go above and beyond the call of duty and they’re not only working hard for our National Health Service, which is more important than ever right now, but they’re also right at the heart of our community here in Keighley and Ilkley – giving others the skills they need to provide lifesaving emergency first aid.”

Nominees are initially judged by senior local and NHS experts to find regional champions in each category, who are featured in The House magazine.

The regional champions are then judged by a national panel made-up of senior clinicians, union leaders, former winners and patient representatives.

Overall winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony held in Parliament.

A spokesman said: “This year the NHS Parliamentary Awards highlight some amazing examples of care provided from all NHS services, including but not limited to hospitals, community services and local practices. There was a record number of nominations.”