Teams and individuals across the South West are celebrating today (22 April) after being named regional champions in the first NHS Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding work to improve care for patients, communities and staff.

The NHS Excellence Awards are the only awards run by, and for, the NHS.

They celebrate innovation, quality improvement and leadership across health and care, shining a light on teams and individuals whose work is making a real difference and inspiring others to adopt proven approaches.

This year’s awards span 10 categories, with regional champions selected by NHS regional panels for their innovative and collaborative work across the South West.

Regional champions from all parts of England will now progress to the national shortlist, with winners announced at an awards ceremony at NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester in June 2026.

The South West regional champions are:

• Digital innovation – NHS 111 Online Self-Referral for Breast Cancer Diagnostics, NHS 111 Online and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
• Delivering value – Drugless CT Coronary Angiography service at University Hospitals Plymouth, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
• Sustainable healthcare – Pee-In-Pot (PiP), Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
• Valuing our people – Reasonable Adjustments Project, Devon Partnership Trust
• Patient involvement and choice – Isaac’s Story – Leading to System Wide Change For Deaf People and National BSL Diabetes Films, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board
• Leadership – Dr. Scott Grier, Retrieve Adult Critical Care Transport Service, hosted by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
• Working in partnership – A System-Wide Partnership for Compassionate End-of-Life Care, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
• Improving health outcomes – The Market Health Hub, Coast and Country Primary Care Network
• Neighbourhood health – Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Neighbourhood Health, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Quality improvement – Acute Medical Admission Pathways, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

 

Sue Doheny, Acting Regional Director of NHS England in the South West, said: “I would like to congratulate every one of the winners on this well‑deserved recognition.

“Their leadership, innovation and determination to deliver clinically led improvement reflects a strong and continuing commitment to safe, compassionate and more equitable care across the South West.

“Many of the submissions were not only inspiring but deeply moving, showing the real difference NHS staff are making for individuals and communities.”

 

Regional judges also agreed that the standard of the 248 nominations were of such a high calibre to also award second and third runners-up place in the 10 categories.

These were:

• Digital innovation

2nd place –  Digital Medicines Team, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

3^rd place – Silent Hospital Project, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

• Delivering value

2^nd place – Neonatal Oral Antibiotics at Home (NOAH), NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula

3^rd place – The X-ray Car Team, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

• Sustainable healthcare

2^nd place – Nightingale Hospital, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

3^rd place – The Reusable Curtains Project, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

• Valuing our people

2^nd place – People & Communications, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust

3^rd place – ‘Never OK’ staff abuse and violence prevention programme, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Patient involvement and choice

2^nd place – The Young Persons Patient Council: Putting Youth Voice at the Heart of Care, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

3^rd place – Health Connect Coaching, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

• Leadership

2^nd place – Jon Aning, SWAG Cancer Alliance, hosted by Southmead Hospital

3^rd place- Kandarp Thakkar, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

• Working in partnership

2^nd place – Community Appointment Days (with partners), NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board

3^rd place – Dorset Intelligence and Insight Service (DiiS), NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board

• Improving health outcomes

2^nd place – Frequent Use Support and Empowerment (FUSE), Livewell South West.

3^rd place- Dorset Respiratory Network, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

• Neighbourhood health

2^nd place – Right by You Wessex (delivering to Dorset residents) – A neighbourhood model of cancer and complex care support, Wessex Cancer Alliance

3^rd place – Neighbourhood health work in partnership with VCSE partners, VCSE partners, Cornwall Council and others, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB

• Quality improvement

2^nd place – Revolutionary digital diagnostic pathway for new glaucoma patients, Centre of Excellence for Eyes, Nightingale, Exeter

3^rd place – PreCiSSIon, implementation of digital surveillance and a care bundle to prevent surgical site infection following Caesarean Birth across the West of England, Health Innovation West of England