New national awards to celebrate innovation in health and care have been launched today by NHS Confederation and the AHSN Network.

The Innovate Awards are the result of a collaboration between the AHSN Network, which operates as the innovation arm of the NHS in England and is the collective voice of the 15 Academic Health Science Network’s (AHSNs); and the NHS Confederation, the membership organisation for the healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There are ten award categories as well as the grand prix – winner of winners – award. Anyone working in integrated care communities – local authorities, care providers and other NHS health and social services will be able to enter. These awards represent a golden opportunity to tell the story of those who have collaborated and developed new initiatives against the backdrop of the pandemic.

Richard Stubbs, Vice Chair of the AHSN Network and Chief Officer at Yorkshire and Humber AHSN said: “It is more important than ever that the NHS nurtures and strengthens a culture of innovation and transformation. Throughout the pandemic we witnessed the efforts of NHS staff across the country, often working in collaboration with industry, to rapidly transform healthcare delivery and improve patient care.

“We need to value and sustain the innovation culture within the NHS and part of that is about recognising and rewarding our amazing innovators. These awards will provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase the great work that is happening in health and care innovation, as well as helping us to identify, spread and adopt the opportunities that exist to transform services.”

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, NHS Confederation, said: “I’m delighted to be able to support these awards and know that they will be welcomed as a way of paying tribute to teams and individuals who have gone the extra mile during the most challenging of times.

“These awards recognise exceptional efforts in helping to transform health and care, and give recognition, acknowledgement and appreciation that individuals, teams and organisations deserve for leading the way in health and care innovation.”

If successful, the awards will become an annual event to mark the huge contributions to health innovation and transformation made by all across the health and social care system.

There will be 10 awards to enter this year, with the categories as follows:

• Net Zero Innovation of the Year
• The Diversity in Innovation Award
• Excellence in Patient and Public Involvement in Transformation and Innovation
• Innovation Spread Award
• Best Workforce Innovation
• Innovation Helping Address Health Inequalities
• Outstanding Contribution to Population Health Through Innovation
• Innovative Health System of the Year
• Outstanding Collaboration with Industry
• Enabling Safer Systems of Care Through Innovation

The final, 11^th, award – Innovation Champion of the Year – will be selected by the judges from across the other category winners.

Entries are now open and should be made via the Innovate Awards website. The closing date for submissions will be midnight on 23 June 2022.

The final winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 29 September 2022. More information on how to register to attend this event will be released soon.

For more information about the Innovate Awards visit the awards website.