The categories and criteria for the Independent Healthcare Awards 2012 are listed below. Nominations open on 14 February 2012 and should be submitted via the online form.
The closing date for entries is Monday 16 April 2012.
Medical Practice
Recognising and rewarding outstanding examples of medical practice, this category is open to entries from clinical services or practice management, teams or individuals. Judges will be keen to see evidence of where best –or better- practice has positively impacted on patient treatment and care. Nominees must be able to demonstrate the remarkable or innovative types of medical practice this organisation offers or how this person/team embodies the medical profession through leadership, service, excellence, integrity and ethical behaviour. Nominations can be supported by practical examples of the promotion and betterment of the health of the patient and an overview of how this practice has enriched patients and the general organisation’s community.
Nursing Practice
This category seeks examples of outstanding nursing practice and their effect on the patient experience. Nominations are welcomed from both a clinical and management perspective, but should be backed with evidence of improvements to patient care. This award acknowledges the essential contributions that nurses across all practice settings make to the healthcare of our society. Judges will be looking for evidence of how the nominee acts as a role model for excellence in nursing practice, including some examples of innovative contribution, progressive ideas, creativity or other ways of enhancing nursing practice. They should also demonstrate a commitment to the development of professional nursing and show how their work has had an outstanding contribution on the patients and hospital community.
Hotel Services
The importance of hotel services has never been greater in an environment where cleanliness, hygiene and nutrition in health and care settings are really under the spotlight. Nominations in this category encompass outstanding achievement in food preparation and provision, and the prevention and management of healthcare acquired infections. Nominees are asked to provide an overview of the healthcare setting’s hotel services and the way they exceed the average and provide examples of outstanding achievements in nutrition and cleanliness.
Management Excellence
This award will go to the manager or executive able to demonstrate a high level of expertise in their field and that has made the most effective contribution towards the success of a team, unit or company in the preceding 12 months. Nominations are welcomed from across the management range, including clinical services, support services and general management.
The Management Excellence Award is for senior managers, executives and leaders of businesses who have worked for their organisation in a professional management capacity for at least 12 months. It is aimed at individuals who have made management their profession - ordinary people who do extraordinary things for their organisations on a day-to-day basis.
Best use of Technology
This category is open to providers in all fields of independent health and care delivery. Nominations should demonstrate how technology is best used to enhance patient/service user care or how business efficiencies or enhancements have been made. This award will recognize the technology that had the greatest impact during the past year. The technology used can be of any type, and used in any aspect of the business. It doesn't have to be computer or internet based.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) An overview of the organisation’s objectives for the use of technology (weight will be given for creative use of technology).
(b) Reasons for selection of the technology.
(c) A description of the technology and its use by the organization.
(d) The evaluation of the effect of the use of technology on the organisation’s overall performance.
Excellence in Training
Nominations for this category are welcomed from training managers, departments and organisations that can demonstrate how their innovative approaches to training and excellence in implementation have brought improvements in staffing quality and working practices. Judges will additionally look for how this has had a wider impact on company bottom-line.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) An overview of the training programme including its objectives and the innovative aspects that make it unique.
(b) A summary of the implementation techniques and results.
(c) A description of the impact of the training initiative on the staff and organization’s services.
(d) The challenges which have been overcome to implement the training.
(e) Sustainability of the training programme, including capacity for further development or broader application.
Innovation
This award recognizes and rewards significant cutting-edge advancements in independent health and care provision – be it medical, financial, nursing or organisational. Entries should provide outcomes evidence to demonstrate the positive effects of innovation. The category is open to individuals as well as teams and whole units or businesses who can demonstrate a truly innovative approach to the development of care.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) A clear statement on the innovative approach’s objectives.
(b) A summary of its implementation and the positive results achieved.
(c) An example that demonstrates how this innovation has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare provision.
Healthcare Property Services
This award will recognize and reward property consultants, developers and companies which have made a significant contribution within the independent healthcare sector. Nominees should be able to show that their effective property development, design, building services, investment and management have led to an improvement in the buildings’ function and the care it provides for users. Nominees are also welcomed from those that have been involved in special landmark deals or innovative structuring, funding or partnering initiatives.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) The effectiveness of their premises solutions.
(b) The effects of these on the buildings’ functionality and healthcare outcomes.
(c) The impact of this on the service users.
Excellence in Risk Management
The Excellence in Risk Management Award seeks to reward those companies who demonstrate active pursuit of risk management and continuous improvement that supports patient outcomes/safety and the resilience, sustainability and professional integrity of the organisation.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) A summary of the challenges faced during the last year.
(b) An overview of the strategies used to deal with these challenges and how they were implemented.
(c) An outline of the resulting benefits.
Healthcare Outcomes
The healthcare sector is by its very nature judged on its results and as such is coming under greater than ever scrutiny from the public, regulators and politicians alike. Nominations for this category are required to demonstrate clear evidence of genuine improvements in healthcare outcomes through the provision of high-quality, coordinated programmes of patient care, education, research and advocacy, either in a single specialty or across the clinical range.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) An overview of the healthcare outcomes and improvements on previous years.
(b) A summary of the elements that made these improvements possible.
(c) A description of the impact that these healthcare outcomes have had on the patients and general running of the hospital and how it benefits the community.
Public Private Partnership
This category acknowledges the role played by the independent sector in delivering services in tandem with their state partners. This recognition will be awarded to the project the judges believe to be the best example of public-private sector co-operation and performance, and which demonstrates outstanding patient outcomes.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) An overview of the creation of this public-private partnership.
(b) An evaluation of the way it has benefitted both the independent and the public partners.
(c) The impact it has delivered to the patients treated and the wider community.
(d) A description of future objectives and commitment.
Entrepreneurial Achievement
This category rewards those individuals or companies that demonstrate both a flair for, and continuing commitment to, business enhancement through entrepreneurial activity. Nominations should show where such activity has had a demonstrable effect on the growth of a business.
The preeminent entrepreneur will express the drive, vision, creativity, managerial acumen and leadership traits that make him/her successful business men/women.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate the spirit to create a successful business through perseverance and by using their own visionary efforts.
Legal Adviser
This category is for legal firms which are able to demonstrate particular skills and expertise specific to the healthcare sector in their client relationships. Factors taken into account by our judges include a thorough understanding of the UK healthcare sector across a range of areas, including regulation, employment law, intellectual property, medical malpractice and real estate. Nominees should demonstrate knowledge and expertise which help their clients navigate the changing UK healthcare sector.
Outstanding Contribution
This very special category seeks to highlight the work undertaken over a lifetime in health and care settings, and which demonstrates a commitment, passion and selflessness to delivering quality care, professionalism and outcomes for patients and other service users. Entries should therefore demonstrate an outstanding contribution to the independent healthcare sector.
Nominees must be able to demonstrate:
(a) A summary of the nominee’s dedication and service to the sector.
(b) Practical examples of their significant contribution and its impact on the healthcare community.
(c) The ways he/she has enriched patients, colleagues and the community through his/her dedicated work.
Acute Hospital Group
This category is aimed at acute hospital groups, both large and small, which consistently deliver excellence in the provision of private healthcare. The winning entry will demonstrate high quality service provision and the use of leading edge technology to enhance the patient experience and deliver superb outcomes. The judges will be looking for evidence of high patient satisfaction together with innovative business models, which both expand the market and raise the profile of private healthcare.
Domiciliary Care Provider
This category is aimed at organisations providing excellence in the provision of care services in the home. Nominations should demonstrate a commitment to delivering high quality care with a focus on personalisation and choice. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovative patterns of care delivery which help reduce or prevent admission and readmission to acute care services. Emphasis will also be placed on a commitment to staff training and development and the evidence of partnerships with public sector funding organisations to deliver care at home.
Primary Care and Community Services Provider
This category is aimed at independent sector providers of primary care and/or community based services, including acute and mental health hospitals and organisations providing acute healthcare in patients’ homes. In this emerging market, the judges will be looking for evidence of innovative business models which offer patients access to quality care services in a choice of settings. Emphasis will be placed on best practice clinical governance and the way in services connect with other health and care provision.
Mental Health Hospital Provider
This category is aimed at mental health providers of hospital services who consistently deliver excellence in provision of mental healthcare services. The judges will be looking for evidence of how providers have sought to extend personalisation and choice into mental health provision and the ways it has developed partnerships with funding organisations. This will include evidence of how the provider has empowered patients to take control of their lives and an outline of how services are integrated to support the patient.
Management Consultancy
This category is aimed at management consultants working in the health and care sector who support their clients to address the many challenging issues they face. Providing support through its industry experts, the consultancy firm should be able to demonstrate how its support helps clients manage projects to a successful end. Consultancy services can include project management, cost management, legal services, viability assessments and financial modelling.
Residential Care Provider
This category is aimed at providers of residential care services for the elderly, physically and learning disabled adults, and individuals with mental health needs. The successful nominee will be able to demonstrate that residents are cared for in a warm, safe and homely physical environment where choice, personalisation and integration are at the heart of service provision. The judges will be looking for examples of service innovation, user engagement and demonstrably improved outcomes.
Best Commissioner (acute/mental health/community services)
This award is open to any NHS, local authority or joint commissioner of publicly funded acute, mental health or community services, including those for people with learning or physically disabilities and mental health needs. The Award will recognise proactive and effective strategic commissioning policies to build a robust and innovative market which stimulates choice and diversity of provision.