Teams and individuals across the South East have been named as regional champions in the first NHS Excellence Awards, recognising work that is improving care for patients and communities. The NHS Excellence Awards are the only awards run by, and for, the NHS. They recognise, celebrate and share innovative work taking place across health and care.

The awards shine a light on local teams, projects and individuals who are driving improvements, with the aim of sharing learning and inspiring others to adopt successful approaches in their own areas.

In the South East, the following were named regional champions:

• Digital innovation: Enhancing T2/T3 Prescribing with Digitisation and Decision Support in ePMA from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Delivering value: The Medway SMART Acute Virtual Hospital from Medway NHS Foundation Trust
• Improving health outcomes: Isle of Wight Ambulance Service – Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival Improvement Programme from Isle of Wight NHS Trust
• Leadership: Michelle Gallagher from Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
• Neighbourhood health: East Brighton Integrated Community (Neighbourhood) Team from NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board on behalf of East Brighton ICT (East and Central PCN and Deans and Central PCN)
• Patient involvement and choice: Care Co-ordinators + Family Engagement Leads – The Baby Steps: Our Neonatal Journey Cards from South East Neonatal ODN
• Quality improvement: Integrated Frailty Crisis Pathway from Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
• Sustainable healthcare: Green Nursing Challenge 2025: A Transformative 15-week Journey from Centre for Sustainable Healthcare
• Valuing our people: BrigHT futures @BHT from Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Working in partnership: Solving Problems, Transforming Lives: Addressing the Underlying Triggers of Mental Health Crisis from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust & Citizens Advice Winchester District

These regional champions have been recognised by regional panels for their innovative and collaborative work in their local areas, highlighting digital projects, quality improvement initiatives and examples of excellent leadership.

NHS England South East’s Regional Director, Anne Eden, said: “I congratulate our regional winners recognised in the first ever NHS Excellence Awards. They exemplify the best of what the NHS and its partners do day in, day out. Their commitment and dedication is an inspiration.”

“Selecting our regional champions from the high-quality nominations we received was incredibly difficult, so all of those who now go forward to the national judging should be extremely proud of their achievement.”

“There really is incredible work going on across the South East making a difference to the patients and communities we serve.”

Regional champions from across England will now form the shortlist from which national winners will be selected. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester in June 2026.