THE Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Okehampton Hospital, has won a national award for outstanding efficiency and improvement in developing community services. The trust's stroke therapy team added to its growing trophy collection with victory at the HSJ Value in Healthcare Awards on September 23. The team beat seven other finalists in the Value and Improvement in Community Health Service Redesign category. The nomination related to the ongoing success of the team's early supported discharge (ESD) and VISTA projects. The team has introduced home visits and additional care support from stroke therapy staff to allow an earlier discharge from hospital for patients. It has also set up the innovative patient and carer support group called VISTA, which meets weekly and gives people the chance to join others in a similar situation as well as improve their fitness and speed up their recovery. Trust patients have reported a 94% improvement in self-perceived health and wellbeing following ESD. The victory follows the team's double success in the Advancing Healthcare Awards in 2013 and its win in the Care Integration Awards. Dr Alison Diamond, chief executive, said: 'It is fantastic for the Trust to be recognised nationally for our work to redesign community services, which we continue to do across Northern and Eastern Devon. 'It is another boost after inspectors from the Care Quality Commission recently described our community services as they best they had seen. 'To achieve outstanding efficiency and improvement at the same time is a challenge facing all trusts and one we are stepping up to.' The Trust's finance team was shortlisted in the Value and Improvement in Financial Services category. The team's entry related to its crucial input to the Trust's vision to deliver care closer to home to patients in Exeter, Torridge, North, Mid, East and West Devon.