Award Categories
We continually review our categories so they are aligned with our objectives and values. Choose the category which matches your nomination for the best chance to be shortlisted.
Are you an NHS Lothian staff member?
The following awards are open to NHS Lothian staff to nominate an individual or team who goes above and beyond to provide high-quality care. Please read the descriptions carefully as you will need to evidence the criteria in your nomination
AWARD CATEGORY
Tom Waterson Support Services Award
OPEN TO: individuals working in the following support services: portering, catering, domestic services, laundry, estates and facilities, hospital sterilisation and decontamination.
This award is in memory of former colleague Tom Waterson who sadly passed away following a short illness.
Tom’s career spanned over 30 years. He started as a Porter at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh going on to become NHS Lothian’s Employee Director. As a trade unionist he also held roles as the first Chair of the Lothian Health Branch of UNISON and Chair of the Health Committee for UNISON Scotland.
This award aims to recognise outstanding support services staff with a dedication to delivering the best possible care to patients and/or staff in the course of their duties.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO:
- Shows an exceptional level of care and compassion in their work
- Displays a selfless way of working, putting others’ needs before their own
- Contributes immeasurably to the daily running of our services
- Has a positive effect on staff, patients or individuals, over and above what is expected for their role
- Supports and demonstrates NHS Lothian’s values
You can nominate an individual who demonstrates some or all of these behaviours.
If your nomination does not work in portering, catering, domestic services, laundry, estates and facilities, or hospital sterilisation and decontamination please consider entering them for the staff member of the year award or another staff category.
AWARD CATEGORY
Chair’s Award
OPEN TO: individuals who champion one of the following areas in their team, department or across NHS Lothian:
- Staff Wellbeing
- Environmental or financial sustainability’
- Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
The Board is committed to making a difference in these areas across NHS Lothian, so that we can be at our best for each other and the patients we serve.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO:
- Goes above and beyond to promote, encourage and generally make a difference in staff wellbeing, environmental sustainability or workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
- Demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to actions within these areas
- Inspires and motivates others to get involved and make a difference
Please outline how your nomination meets some or all of these criteria in your submission.
AWARD CATEGORY
Team of the Year
OPEN TO: teams who demonstrate excellent performance as a whole.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR NOMINATIONS TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT:
- Key targets have been addressed
- Management or clinical information has been used to support the work of the team
- High-quality service is delivered
- Good teamwork is demonstrated between managers and staff
- Improved outcomes for patients and service users are delivered
- Patient and stakeholder involvement, influencing performance is delivered
- Multi-disciplinary and partnership is practiced
AWARD CATEGORY
Staff Member of the Year
OPEN TO: individuals who really go above and beyond in their day-to-day work but who perhaps do not have a high profile within their team/department/service.
You can nominate an individual who demonstrates some or all of the following criteria
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO:
- Routinely demonstrates a “can do” attitude
- Is committed to person-centred care
- Constantly and effectively contributes to the daily running of the team/ward/office
- Has a positive effect on staff, patients or individuals, over and above what is expected for their role
- Supports and demonstrates NHS Lothian’s values
AWARD CATEGORY
Young Achiever Award
OPEN TO: individuals aged between 16 and 30 years old working in any clinical or non-clinical discipline who demonstrates outstanding dedication and commitment.
They could be a student, trainee, apprentice, junior etc
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A YOUNG PERSON WHO:
- Supports and demonstrates NHS Lothian’s values
- Shows outstanding dedication and commitment to developing themselves
- Demonstrates person-centred care
- Shows excellent judgement, drive and initiative.
You can nominate an individual who demonstrates some or all of these behaviours.
AWARD CATEGORY
Voluntary Service Award
OPEN TO: individuals or teams who give their time to help improve the health and wellbeing of patients, services users and their families and carers in NHS Lothian either through service or raising funds.
They might be a member of a Family and Patient Council, Managed Clinical Network, Patient Representative on a group or committee or volunteer their services more generally to NHS Lothian.
NOMINATIONS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM SHOULD SHOW HOW THEY:
- Are committed to their role
- Always try to be positive and helpful
- Have a focus on people, their experiences and ways to help them
- Always tries to make a difference to patients and/or staff of NHS Lothian
- Are valued and admired by others
- Support and demonstrates NHS Lothian’s values.
AWARD CATEGORY
Best Example of Quality, Innovation and Productivity
OPEN TO: individuals or teams who have shown a commitment to embracing the organisation’s focus on quality in order to deliver service improvement(s) in their area which aim to provide ‘high-quality, safe and person-centred care at the most affordable cost and taking into account long term environmental, social and financial sustainability’.
NOMINATIONS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM SHOULD INCLUDE:
- How they demonstrate commitment to and improve quality
- How the changes came about or the rationale behind the changes
- What benefits have been noted for patients and in the workplace
- Measurable evidence of the improvements seen
- How the quality improvement or innovation supports long term environmental, social and financial sustainability
AWARD CATEGORY
Respect for Others Award
OPEN TO: individuals or teams who actively try to identify with groups of patients or staff who are perhaps difficult to reach or hard to identify.
They should strive to work with these groups to encourage inclusion and equality, be it in healthcare or the working environment.
Please include examples of how your nomination meets one or more the following criteria.
NOMINATIONS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM SHOULD SHOW HOW THEY:
- Have gone out of their way to reach a disadvantaged group of people (patients, staff or members of the public)
- Improved awareness of patient privacy
- Promote dignity, respect, self-esteem, social inclusion and autonomy with patients or staff for any age, race, etc
AWARD CATEGORY
Caring Champion of the Year
OPEN TO: any individual member of staff who above all things is caring and compassionate to patients and visitors, colleagues and friends.
Please provide examples of how they meet some or all of the following criteria.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO:
- Shows an exceptional level of care and compassion in their work
- Is committed to creating a welcoming and happy environment for staff and patients
- Displays a selfless way of working, putting others’ needs before their own
AWARD CATEGORY
Leadership Excellence Award
OPEN TO: individuals or teams who demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and who excel at mentoring and teaching and share knowledge and expertise with students, junior members of staff and/or colleagues, encouraging and motivating them to reach their full potential.
This award is open to all staff and not restricted to those in a management role.
NOMINATIONS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM SHOULD SHOW HOW THEY:
- Are an excellent and inspiring teacher
- Impart their knowledge and values effectively
- Are open and honest, giving staff and/or students beneficial and constructive feedback
- Act as a positive role model, encompassing the core values of NHS Lothian
- Nominations are encouraged to provide examples of how they excel in their teaching and educational role
AWARD CATEGORY
Lynn Jackson Nurse of the Year Award
OPEN TO: individual registered and non-registered nurses with a dedication to their profession and providing exceptional patient-care.
This award is in memory of Lynn Jackson, former Chief Nurse for Edinburgh Cancer Centre, who sadly passed away following a year-long fight with breast cancer. Her passion was people, be it patients or staff.
Lynn’s nursing career spanned over 30 years. She worked across a number of sites, primarily as a nurse. She was also a Staff Representative for the Royal College of Nursing and Chair of the Staff Lottery.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NURSE WHO:
- Shows an exceptional level of care and compassion in their work
- Displays a selfless way of working, putting others’ needs before their own
- Contributes immeasurably to the daily running of the ward or service
- Has a positive effect on staff, patients or individuals, over and above what is expected of their job role
- Supports and demonstrates NHS Lothian’s values
You can nominate a nurse who meets some or all of these criteria
Are you a patient?
AWARD CATEGORY
The Health Hero Award
OPEN TO: Healthcare workers across NHS Lothian who are being nominated by a patient or a member of the public.
The ‘Health Hero’ award allows the people of Lothian to recognise a healthcare worker who has gone above and beyond in their day-to-day role, and who has put their heart and soul into their work to provide exceptional patient care.
Patients and the public are invited to nominate any healthcare worker who has made a real difference to them or a loved-one, or who they feel deserves recognition for going that extra mile.
