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Regional investigation team up for international press award

A regional publisher’s central investigations team has been nominated for a prestigious international media award.

The Foreign Press Association has shortlisted the i and the Johnston Press Investigations Unit for its Print and Web News Story of the Year award.

The team have won the nomination for their work on an investigation into proposed National Health Service reform, which revealed 19 hospitals across the country could close.

As well as national title the i, stories were tun in regional dailies The Gazette, Blackpool, Lancashire Post, The News, Portsmouth, The Star, Sheffield, the Wigan Post and the Yorkshire Post.

NHS Blackpool

The team analysed 44 regional blueprints or ‘Sustainability and Transformation Plans’ (STPs) drawn up by health service leaders to remodel the NHS in England.

Lancashire Post journalist Aasma Day, who leads the unit, said: “People care passionately about the NHS and the i and the Johnston Press Investigations Team felt it was our duty to give readers as full a picture as possible about any proposed changes, cuts and closures to the service that people hold so dear to their hearts.

“One of the biggest criticisms of the STP plans was that many people didn’t even know what they were and felt they were drawn up in secret and had a lack of consultation as well as tight deadlines and unachievable targets.

“The Johnston Press Investigations Team examined the plans in detail and revealed the proposed radical changes including the potential closure or downgrading of hospitals and units, the loss of beds, the reduction of workforce, changes to maternity, a greater use of technology, the rationing of operations and cutting of prescription costs.

“Working closely with a team of journalists at the i, the findings were featured extensively on their front pages as well as several pages inside each day for more than a week.

“Being shortlisted for the prestigious Foreign Press Association Awards is a great honour and it shows what can be achieved with the power of teamwork.”

The team face competition from the Daily Telegraph’s Josie Ensor and a BBC News team for the prize.

The awards will be presented at a dinner to be held at the Sheraton Grand London on Monday 20 November.

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  • November 9, 2017 at 10:17 am
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    Hardly an original heading or quote, but otherwise a worthy effort.

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