Navigators Shortlisted for Innovation Award

Our Emergency Department Navigators programme has been shortlisted for an ‘Innovation Award’ at the Hull & East Yorkshire Business Awards.

Taking place on the 19 November 2026, the event is dedicated to celebrating excellence and outstanding achievements in the local community. The Innovation Award recognises projects and systems that are approaching things differently, pushing the boundaries and creating an example for others to follow.

We commissioned and worked with the NHS Humber Health Partnership to develop the intervention, which supports people presenting at hospital with violence-related injuries, including knife harm. Based at Hull Royal Infirmary, the service embeds skilled, trauma-informed practitioners within the NHS so that people affected by violence can be identified promptly and referred to appropriate services. This means moving away from a model dependent on referrals from busy clinical staff. Instead, two NHS-employed Navigators have been integrated into clinical and safeguarding systems, with access to patient information to proactively identify eligible patients.

The programme is built on the concept of a ‘reachable moment,’ recognising that after a violent incident people may be more open to support and change. Navigators assess individual needs and connect people to services such as mental health, housing, education, safeguarding and specialist violence support. One service user described ongoing guidance that included home visits, emotional support and sustained advocacy relating to her safety and that of her children.

Jonathan Evison, Chair of the Humber Violence Prevention Partnership, said: “I am delighted that the programme has been nominated for an Innovation Award. The Navigators team has helped develop stronger safeguarding pathways, positive service-user experiences and the potential to prevent repeat crisis and harm. It is an excellent example of meaningful violence prevention support.”

Last year, 118 people engaged with our Navigators team - 51 of these were aged under 24. In the Youth Effect Survey, respondents from North and North East Lincolnshire gave the Navigators service an average rating of 9.25 out of 10 for enjoyment. The average rating for it making a positive difference was 9.17 out of 10.

The service has also delivered wider organisational benefits to the NHS. Navigators contribute to safeguarding meetings, multi-agency processes and the development of referral pathways. In addition, the programme has supported the development and interpretation of 'Information Sharing to Tackle Violence' data, allowing violence-related information to contribute to a broader understanding of local harm and safeguarding needs.

Karen Harrison, Deputy Head of Safeguarding at the NHS Humber Heath Partnership, said: "The Emergency Department Navigators team at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are delighted to have been nominated for the Hull & East Yorkshire Business Awards. The programme, which supports children and young adults affected by serious violence, has gone from strength to strength - empowering participants and making a lasting difference to their lives."

Overall, the Navigators programme has successfully embedded prevention within acute healthcare, challenged traditional organisational boundaries and converted emergency attendance into an opportunity for sustained support. It combines inventive system design, skilled practitioners, evidence-led adaptation and demonstrable benefits for vulnerable people.

We can’t think of a more compelling nomination for the Innovation Award!