UHN Excellence Awards 2026

At University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN), our values guide how we care for patients, support one another and work with our communities. The UHN Excellence Awards recognise those individuals and teams who positively impact patient care and hospital operations

As part of the judging process, all nominations will be assessed against UHN's values and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Judges will be looking for evidence of behaviours, actions and achievements that demonstrate collaboration and a commitment to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. 

We welcome nominations from colleagues, patients, carers, volunteers and partners. We encourage nominations across all professions, roles, services and locations. Great care is delivered in many different ways, and these awards celebrate the diverse contributions that help make UHN a great place to receive care and a great place to work. All categories are open to all colleagues unless specified as non-clinical or clinical.

Please complete a nomination form ADD LINK

Our values are:

Courage - We dare to take on difficult challenges and try out new things.  We find the strength to speak up when it matters and we see potential failure as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Accountability - We take responsibility for our decisions, our actions and our behaviours.  We do what we say we will do, when we say we will do it. We acknowledge our mistakes and we learn.

Compassion - We care about our patients and each other. We consistently show kindness and empathy and take the time to imagine ourselves in other people's shoes.

Integrity - We are consistently open, honest and trustworthy.  We can be relied upon, we stand by our values and we always strive to do the right thing

Respect - We value each other, embrace diversity and make sure everyone feels included. We take the time to listen to, appreciate and understand the thoughts, beliefs and feelings of others.

This years award categories are:

UHN Patient Choice Award 2026

With two awards available, one for each hospital. This award  recognises  an individual or team who has gone  above and beyond  to deliver an outstanding experience for patients,  families  and carers.   Nominees will have  demonstrated  compassion,  kindness  and a commitment to putting patients at the heart of everything they do, making a meaningful difference to the care, support and experience people receive at UHN.  

Values in action:  Compassion and respect - showing kindness, empathy and understanding, while listening to and valuing patients,  families  and carers.  

UHN Colleague of the Year Award (non-clinical) 2026

This award celebrates a non-clinical colleague who has made an exceptional contribution to UHN through their dedication, professionalism and commitment to excellence. Nominees will have demonstrated outstanding performance in their role, supported colleagues and services, and made a positive impact on patients, staff or the wider organisation. 

Values in action: Compassion, accountability and integrity - taking pride in your role, delivering to a high standard and making a positive contribution to colleagues, patients and services. 

UHN Colleague of the Year Award (clinical) 2026

This award recognises a clinical colleague who consistently delivers outstanding care and demonstrates excellence in their professional practice. Nominees will have made a significant contribution to improving patient outcomes, supported their colleagues and teams, and exemplified the values and behaviours that help make UHN a leader in patient care. 

Values in action: Compassion, integrity and accountability - doing the right thing for patients, using professional judgement and taking responsibility for safe, high-quality care. 

UHN Team of the Year Award (non-clinical) 2026

This award recognises a non-clinical team whose dedication, innovation and collaboration have made a significant contribution to the success of UHN. Nominees will have demonstrated how working together has improved services, supported colleagues and enhanced the experience of patients, staff or visitors. 

Values in action: Accountability, respect and integrity - working together to improve services, support colleagues and deliver reliable, values-led outcomes. 

UHN Team of the Year Award (clinical) 2026

This award celebrates a clinical team that has worked together to deliver exceptional care, improve patient outcomes and make a positive difference to the communities we serve. Nominees will demonstrate excellent teamwork, collaboration and a shared commitment to providing safe, compassionate and high-quality care. 

Values in action: Respect, compassion and accountability - working as one team, valuing every contribution and taking shared responsibility for safe, high-quality patient care. 

Outstanding Contribution to UHN Award 2026

This award celebrates the individual who has made an exceptional contribution to UHN. Nominees will have made a significant contribution through their expertise, support and dedication, towards helping our colleagues and patients have the best experience at UHN. 

Values in action: Integrity, accountability and compassion - role-modelling commitment, professionalism and care for patients and colleagues over time. 

UHN Culture Champion Award 2026

This award celebrates an individual or team who helps make UHN a great place to work and receive care, supporting our priority to strengthen our culture. Nominees will consistently demonstrate our values through their actions and behaviours, champion inclusion, wellbeing, civility and respect, and create a culture where colleagues and patients feel valued, supported and able to thrive. 

Values in action: Respect, compassion and courage - creating an inclusive culture where people feel valued, supported and able to speak up, contribute and thrive. 

UHN Volunteer and Community Champion Award 2026

This award  recognises  an individual, community group, charity  partner  or patient representative who has made an exceptional contribution through their time, dedication and support to patients, visitors,  colleagues  or services across UHN. Nominees will have gone  above and beyond  to make a positive difference, enhancing the experience of those who access care or work within our hospitals.  

Values in action:  Compassion,  respect  and integrity  -  giving time, care and support while valuing the people and communities UHN serves.  

UHN Together We Can Award 2026

This award c elebrates  exceptional collaboration across departments, professions,  organisations  or communities.  Nominees will have  demonstrated  the power of partnership, helping us achieve more together and creating a positive impact across our hospitals and communities.  

Values in action:  Respect,  accountability  and courage  -  building strong partnerships, listening to different  perspectives  and taking collective action to achieve more together.  

UHN Future Excellence Award 2026

This award celebrates individuals or teams who are helping to shape the future of UHN through innovation, ambition and a commitment to continuous improvement. It recognises those who demonstrate exceptional potential, fresh thinking or pioneering approaches that will create lasting benefits for patients, colleagues and communities. 

Nominees may be rising stars, researchers, innovators, established colleagues driving new ideas, or teams leading pioneering approaches to care, services, technology or culture. In line with our priority of delivering our financial plan, they will have demonstrated vision, creativity and determination - showing how their actions today are helping to build a stronger, greener, more sustainable and successful UHN for the future. This category celebrates future promise, emerging talent and initiatives that are laying the foundations for long-term success, even if their full impact has yet to be realised. 

Values in action: Courage, accountability and integrity - thinking differently, using resources responsibly and taking positive action to shape a stronger, more sustainable future. 

UHN Transforming Care Award 2026

This award honours those who are redefining what great healthcare looks like. It celebrates an individual, team or initiative that has delivered significant and lasting improvements to  our priority of transforming  patient care, patient experience,  outcomes  or service delivery. Nominees may have transformed care through service redesign, pathway improvement, research, innovation, quality  improvement  or new models of care. They will have  demonstrated  leadership,  collaboration  and determination to deliver meaningful change at scale, creating clear and measurable benefits for patients, families,  colleagues  or communities. Their achievements will serve as an example of how bold thinking and shared purpose can transform care and leave  a lasting legacy  across UHN.  

Values in action:  Courage,  accountability  and compassion  -  leading meaningful change, taking responsibility for improvement and delivering better care for patients,  families  and communities.