Nominations are now open for the new Digital Health Awards, the only healthcare IT honours where the winners are voted online by their peers up and down the country.

The new Digital Health Awards will recognise and celebrate the achievements of the leaders making the biggest contributions to UK healthcare IT today, plus future digital leaders and a special outstanding contribution award in association with BCS Health and Care.

They are the only awards that will be judged and voted by the 2,000 members of Digital Health Networks, the fast-growing collaboration and best practice community of local CCIOs, CIOs, CNIOs and other NHS digital leaders.

Jon Hoeksma, chief executive of Digital Health said: “We’ve today launched the new Digital Health Awards will help shine a light on some of the fantastic local digital leaders across the NHS.  We hope to have nominations for both those leaders already well known and those on course to become stars of the future.”

He added: “Recognition from your peers can be really powerful and positive, and I hope the new Digital Health Awards will encourage more people to join the Networks, and come to the annual Summer Schools to learn from their peers.”

Anyone can make a nomination for the awards but they are exclusively voted for by members of the Networks.  Digital Health Networks, includes the CCIO, CIO and CNIO Networks, and has members from every NHS trust in England.

The categories are as follows:

  • Digital Health Networks CCIO of the Year
  • Digital Health Networks CIO of the Year
  • Digital Health Networks CNIO of the Year
  • Future Digital Leader of the Year
  • Digital Health Networks Team of the Year
  • Outstanding Contribution in association with BCS Health and Care

You have until 7 May to complete our online form and nominate yourself, a colleague or role model who professionally inspires you.

On the entry form you should include details of the work undertaken, how was it delivered, what its impact was with demonstrable evidence of the individual’s contributions, innovation and leadership skills and how it has benefited their department and wider organisation.

Facts, figures, examples and case studies to back up your claims wherever possible are welcomed.

Entries will be reviewed and shortlisted by a judging panel drawn from the Advisory Panels of the Networks, and will be followed by a round of voting by the members of the Networks.

The exception will be the Future Digital Leader of the Year award, which will be judged solely by the judging panel.

The winners will be announced and presented at Digital Health’s Summer Schools at the University of Birmingham on 19-20 July.

Champions will be presented with trophies while runners-up will receive a framed certificate.

Top entry tips and suggestions

  • Follow the judging criteria for that category: Make sure the entry is relevant for the award category, provide relevant information as asked and don’t exceed the word limit
  • Back it up: Use facts, figures, data, case studies and examples to back up your assertions. This will help the judges and voters assess your claims and convince them as to why yours is the best candidate for the award. Feel free to send us links and URLs of supplementary documents, web pages and videos
  • Clarity of thought and writing: Tell us why your candidate deserves to win using accurate, concise and informative language. The golden rule is to be clear and engaging! Also, make sure you’ve spelled the names and organisations correctly – typos can be confusing and misleading.