NCL Valued Awards Criteria
Employee wellbeing is inextricably linked to organisational culture and professional fulfilment. The Valued awards recognise exceptional initiatives that have strengthened organisational culture to support employee wellbeing.
Categories and criteria:
Teams or organisations may nominate themselves or be nominated by others, if they meet the criteria for one of the categories below. Each team or organisation nominated should have made a significant contribution that has positively impacted employees.
Entries should highlight the impact: this might include anecdotal evidence and data. There will be one winner and up to two highly commended awards given in each category.
The categories are summarised below:
Growing for the future: developing the workforce and supporting others in their career progression.
Judges want to hear about structured, implemented and monitored training and development initiatives that form an integral part of the organisational culture, and that positively impacts on both the retention and addition of new talent.
What are we looking for?
Please demonstrate how the team or organisation is developing its workforce and supporting others in their career progression.
Please outline 1/ the strategy, approach or process that has been rolled-out, 2/ the rationale and 3/ the impact of this work for the workforce and patient community.
Proof points might include:
Evidence that learning is integrated with work,
How teams use the knowledge gained to improve patient outcomes or operational processes
Converting information, data and processes into opportunity
Promoting transfer of knowledge and influence from person to person
Recognising and responding to differing learning preferences and cultivates others’ abilities and talents
Modelling an open attitude toward self-evaluation
Promoting self-direction and empowering colleagues to make decisions
Celebrating the learning process for its own sake
Looking after our people: quality health and wellbeing support for everyone.
The importance of health, particularly mental health, and wellbeing in the workplace is essential to a happy and productive workplace. Judges will look to recognise initiatives that actively promote and support employee wellbeing.
What are we looking for?
Please demonstrate how your organisation is ensuring quality health and wellbeing support for the workforce.
Please outline 1/ the strategy, approach or process that has been rolled-out, 2/ the rationale and 3/ the impact of this work for the workforce and patient community.
Proof points might include:
How the approach supports the health and wellbeing of all employees
Employee feedback, interviews
Improved staff presence
Staff retention
Organisational policy
Management information, including Key Performance Indicators
Embedded health and wellbeing conversations into reviews, appraisals and 1:1s
Belonging in the NHS: creating an organisational culture where everyone feels they belong.
Judges are looking to celebrate an organisation with a strong equality, inclusion and diversity culture, where there is a clear positive impact of the approach on individuals, teams and the organisation.
What are we looking for?
Please demonstrate how your organisation has created an organisational culture where everyone feels they belong.
Please outline 1/ the strategy, approach or process that has been rolled-out, 2/ the rationale and 3/ the impact of this work for the workforce and patient community.
Proof points might include:
Evidence of how the approach has supported individuals, teams or the whole organisation
Measurable progress on equality, diversity and inclusion
Recruitment and promotion practices
Leadership diversity;
Contribution of staff networks to inform decision making
How the culture ensures everyone has the freedom to speak up
Culture is achieved through exceptional leadership. Judges are looking for leaders who have demonstrated how to create a winning culture that inspires exceptional results and attracts, motivates and retains talent.
What are we looking for?
Please outline 1/ the strategy, approach or process that has been rolled-out, 2/ the rationale and 3/ the impact of this work for the workforce and patient community.
Proof points might include how the approach has:
Inspired and encouraged personal and professional development in others
Built strong relationships that support a high level of trust and credibility
Adapted readily to new situations
Mentored and cultivated employees, creating a culture of respect that fosters an atmosphere for achievement
Benefitted those beyond their department through an emphasis on collaboration
New ways of working and delivering care: embracing new ways of working in teams, across organisations and sectors, supported by technology.
Judges are looking to celebrate an organisation that has undertaken a new initiative that has positively impacted on individuals, operational productivity and patient outcomes.
What are we looking for?
Please demonstrate how your organisation is embracing new ways of working in teams,
across organisations and sectors, supported by technology.
Please outline 1/ the strategy, approach or process that has been rolled-out, 2/ the rationale and 3/ the impact of this work for the workforce and patient community.
Proof points might include:
Use of creativity to confront challenges, seeking ways to advance beyond the status quo
Demonstrated ability to stir the pot for positive, fresh impact
Improved staff presence and retention
Improved patient outcomes
Improved outcomes from cross-collaboration
Creating a greener future: embedding sustainable practices into care delivery and operations.
Judges are looking to celebrate an organisation that has introduced a new sustainability-focused initiative, which has positively impacted people, operations, and the environment — contributing to the NHS and wider system’s goal of becoming more environmentally responsible.
What are we looking for?
Please demonstrate how your organisation is embedding sustainable, environmentally friendly ways of working across teams, settings, or care environments.
Please outline 1/ the strategy, approach or process that has been rolled-out, 2/ the rationale and 3/ the impact of this work for the workforce and patient community.
Proof points might include:
Use of innovation to reduce waste, emissions or resource usage
Initiatives that promote energy efficiency or sustainable procurement
Projects that engage staff or residents in eco-conscious behaviours
Demonstrated alignment with NHS or local authority green plans e.g. The Green Agenda
Improved environmental outcomes through collaboration
Clear evidence of environmental responsibility embedded into organisational culture
Nomination and selection process:
The nomination and selection process is as follows:
The deadline for nominations is midnight on Friday 22nd August 2025
Nominations can be made by any staff across the ICS
One form is needed per entry. You can make multiple nominations, but need to complete a form for each
Nominations should reference a project, initiative, or piece of work delivered in the past 12 months (June 2024 and June 2025). This ensures the recognition reflects the most current and relevant efforts within the NCL system.
Nominations should be clear and sufficiently detailed - While the process should not be time-consuming to complete, nominations should include enough specific detail to clearly highlight the impact, outcomes, and relevance of the initiative being recognised. This helps judges make informed and fair decisions.
Nominations should describe new initiatives or achievements that have not been submitted or part of any previous Valued Awards submissions.
If you work within the NCL Training Hub team and would like to submit a Valued Awards nomination, please ensure you refer to the NCL Media Engagement Protocol and Awards Policy before submitting your nomination. (Please note this only applies to NCL Training Hub staff members).