A CLINIC behind an innovative new approach to helping people who have difficulty sleeping has been nominated for an award.

The Sleep Clinic, home of the Sleep Pack, could be in line for an NHS Innovations regional award at a ceremony next week. The beauty of the new Sleep Pack, developed by psychiatrist Dr Helen Oatway, is that patients do not need sleeping pills.

The pack, which contains educational material and worksheets, has been used to help people with emotional and mental health problems who find it difficult to get to sleep. Over six sessions, the patient works towards an understanding of how changes in their lifestyle, thinking and reactions might improve their sleep. In some cases, patients who have used the Sleep Pack approach have been able to stop taking sleeping tablets they have been taking for years.

The nurse-led Sleep Clinic, run by Dr Oatway, is currently only available to mental health service users in Redcar but a number of local primary care trust are looking at funding a roll-out to a wider area.

Dr Oatway, who works for the Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, says: "We are delighted with the success of the Sleep Pack and the results it has achieved in improving patients' quality of life. The team feel their knowledge about this troublesome condition and possible solutions to it has increased, and they report increased job satisfaction. Being nominated for this award is great recognition for all the hard work that has been put in by staff, patients and their families."

* The awards ceremony takes place at The Sage, Gateshead, on Tuesday.