2025 UHN Excellence Awards sponsored by Smart Co Future Health

Nominations for our 2025 UHN Excellence Awards sponsored by Smart Co Future Health have now closed

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The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) Excellence Awards recognise individuals and teams who positively impact patient care and hospital operations, whether they work, volunteer, or fundraise. They shine a light on someone special.  Whether it’s a University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) colleague, team, volunteer or fundraiser. And celebrating those who has gone the extra mile and made a real difference for patients or colleagues.

The 2025 UHN Excellence Awards sponsored by Smart Co Future Health which will be held on Wednesday 26 November 2025.  Shortlisted colleagues, teams, volunteers and fundraisers will be announced before the event.

Celebrating our excellent colleagues and volunteers

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) Excellence Awards recognise individuals and teams who positively impact patient care and hospital operations, whether they work, volunteer, or fundraise.

If a colleague or team has provided exceptional care to you or a loved one, or consistently exceeds expectations, we encourage you to nominate them for the recognition they deserve.

Nominations are now closed. Names of those individuals and teams shortlisted will be published before our celebratory event, which will be held on Wednesday 26 November 2025.  

Take a look at our fabulous winners from  2024  and  2023   to help inspire you with this year’s nominations.

Thank you to our headline sponsor  Smart Co Future Health , the  Northamptonshire Health Charity  for their continued support for the event and to  Multiverse  for sponsoring our Research, Innovation and Improvement award.

Below are the 9 categories and the judging criteria.

UHN Patient Choice Award 2025

Have you, a loved one or family member received excellent care from a colleague or team at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN), based at either Kettering (KGH), Northampton (NGH) hospitals or one of their off-site locations? 

This is your chance to tell us about the people who have made a difference through the care or kindness they have given.  Judges will be looking for individuals or teams for whom nothing is too much trouble, who provide consistently great care or service, treat others with kindness and respect, and are a shining light and an example to others. 

We are looking for examples of: 

  • High-quality care received from our compassionate, excellent, and dedicated team members who went above and beyond to care for you. 

  • If someone made you feel listened to, well cared for and who showed kindness and respect. 

  • Those unsung heroes who quietly do exceptional work and have done something special or incredible to make the experience of being a patient or a visitor to one of our hospitals a bit easier. 

  • How the individual or team demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the wider community. 

UHN Shining Star (Non-Clinical individual) Award 2025

Many colleagues make a huge contribution every day but they may not always be seen.  These colleagues are critical to delivering healthcare services and ensuring patients can access the services they need.   Whether they are looking after our buildings and facilities, staffing our reception areas, keeping our supplies well stocked, making sure our processes and clinics run smoothly, transporting patients, providing fresh food or keeping our hospital clean, everyone plays a role.  

Judges will be looking for examples of:  

  • An individual who has done something extraordinary to make a difference to University Hospital of Northamptonshire.  

  • An individual who has been a true inspiration to others and who you see as a hospital hero.  

  • How the individual or team demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the wider community.  

UHN Shining Star (Clinical individual) Award 2025

Individuals across University Hospitals of Northamptonshire make a huge contribution to the service we provide every day. This award celebrates an individual who has led the way – this could be setting an example of how to work collaboratively, consistently achieving excellent operational performance or overcoming a number of challenges to still provide an excellent experience for patient. The judges would like to recognise individuals in a clinical role who have improved a patient’s experience .  

Judges will be looking for examples of:   

  • How the individual developed themselves as a role model to provide the best care for patients or supporting colleagues.  

  • How an individual who goes above and beyond to consistently play their part to improve the hospital.  

  • How they respect other people’s views, experiences, and skills with a commitment to their professional or personal development.  

  • How the individual or team demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the wider community.  

UHN Clinical Stars Team Award 2025

Many teams make a huge contribution every day. This award celebrates a team who have led the way across University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) – this could be setting an example of how to work collaboratively as a cohesive team, consistently achieving excellent operational performance or overcoming a number of challenges to still provide an excellent experience for patient s .  

Judges will be looking for examples of:  

  • Teams working well together to develop themselves as role models and to provide the best care for patients or supporting colleagues.  

  • The difference and impact a team has made to you .  

  • How they respect other people’s views, experiences, and skills with a commitment to the team’s health and wellbeing and professional or personal development.  

  • How the team demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the community.  

UHN Non-Clinical Stars Team Award 2025 sponsored by Smart Co Future Health

Many teams make a huge contribution every day, but they may not always be seen.   Whether they are looking after our buildings and facilities, staffing our reception areas, keeping our supplies well stocked, making sure our processes and clinics run smoothly, transporting patients, providing fresh food or keeping our hospital clean, everyone plays a role. This award celebrates a team who has led the way across University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) – this could be setting an example of how to work collaboratively as a cohesive team, consistently achieving excellent operational performance, or overcoming a number of challenges to still provide an excellent experience for patient.  

 SmartCo Consulting Future Health logo - Headline sponsor's for the 2025 UHN Excellence Awards Judges will be looking for examples of:  

  • Teams working well together to develop themselves as role models and to provide the best care for patients or supporting colleagues.  

  • The difference and impact a team has made to you .  

  • How they respect other people’s views, experiences, and skills with a commitment to the team’s health and wellbeing and professional or personal development.  

  • How the team demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the community.  

UHN Research, Innovation, and Improvement Award 2025 sponsored by Multiverse

This award is sponsored by Multiverse.  Recognising a team or individual who has implemented new research, an innovative idea or an improvement project which has resulted in improved practice, better outcomes, or a more efficient way of working for service users, colleagues, or stakeholders. They may have been involved with clinical or research trials, introduced a new approach to their area or taken part in an innovative improvement project to make our hospitals a better place for patients, visitors, and colleagues.  

Judges will be looking for examples of:    

  • How they've helped to implement improvement s , championed and supported patients or colleagues through research studies or found a solution to a problem to make things better.  

  • What difference has be e n made from implementing these projects or ideas to a diverse range of patients , colleagues, or stakeholders.  

  • How the individual or team demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the community.  

UHN Compassionate Colleague Award 2025

Recognise someone who demonstrates empathy, understanding, and support towards their colleagues.  This involves actively listening, offering help, and fostering a culture where colleagues feel valued and supported. This can be peer to peer or through compassionate leadership. 

Judges will be looking for examples of:  

  • How the individual has shown empathy and understanding; checking in on colleagues and actively listened to concerns. 

  • How the individual has provided practical solutions, support with tasks or workload. 

  • How the individual has created opportunities for individuals or team members to connect and support each other. 

  • How the individual demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the community. 

UHN Star Volunteer of the Year Award 2025

We want to celebrate the contribution made by the hundreds of people who give their time for free. From those who volunteer across our hospitals, including radio stations, ward volunteers, meeting and greeting patients or visitors, buggy drivers, and staff wellbeing across University Hospitals of Northamptonshire. 

Judges will be looking for examples of: 

  • A volunteer who goes above and beyond to brighten the lives of patients and visitors, carers and also our colleagues. 

  • A volunteer who has had a positive impact on delivering services and those little extra touches that couldn’t be provided without their support - for example our buggy or brew buddy initiative. 

  • How the individual demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the community. 

Northamptonshire Health Charity Fundraiser of the Year Award 2025

Celebrating those individuals and teams who have made a difference to the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire by supporting fund raising in aid of Northamptonshire Health Charity. These are people who have helped by raising the profile of a specific event, fundraising campaign, or increasing an awareness of the Northamptonshire Health Charity 

Judges will be looking for examples of: 

  • People who champion and recognise the value of Northamptonshire Health Charity. 

  • Those who have supported, fundraised, or done something incredible for the charity to make University Hospitals of Northamptonshire a better place for patients or our colleagues. 

  • How the individual demonstrates and promotes a culture of compassion, equality, diversity and inclusion for patients, colleagues or the community.