The legal team for east London’s mental health trust has won a national award for its work.

Using a proactive approach to investigate incidents, the legal affairs team at the East London Foundation Trust made big cuts to the amount of time it takes to reach a settlement.

The process, which the trust says is transparent and works with patients, has made the trust two years faster at settling claims than England's average.

They were recognised at the Health Service Journal Value awards, which aim to highlight the best examples of the NHS and its partners adding value.

That can mean improving savings and improving services for patients.

"The Legal Affairs team recognise that litigation can be a long and stressful process, not just for patients but also for staff," said Jane Quinn, the associate director of the team.

"Our approach builds on the culture of the Trust and we do our best to ensure that decisions are made quickly and efficiently in order to minimise stress and anxiety."

The judges said the team showed good involvement from people who use the service and bettered the culture at the service from the bottom-up.