Awards 2027
Recognising the best in rehabilitation and recovery
Entries open April 2027. The winners will be announced at the Awards Gala in Newcastle on the evening of Day 2.
The categories and judging criteria
Every entry answers the questions for its category, plus a short summary. Each judge scores every question from 1 to 10.
Cancer Support Charity of the YearFor a charity making a real difference to the quality of life and wellbeing of people living with and beyond cancer, and their families.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- Difference made (up to 2,500 characters)
- How has your charity improved the quality of life, wellbeing or recovery of people affected by cancer in the last 18 months? Share evidence such as numbers supported, feedback or outcomes.
- Person-centred support (up to 2,000 characters)
- How do you shape your support around the needs of the people you help, including families and carers?
- Reach and inclusion (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do you reach people who find it hardest to get support?
- Partnership and sustainability (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do you work with the NHS and other organisations, and how will the work continue?
Rehabilitation Centre of the YearFor a rehabilitation centre or service whose care helps people rebuild their lives.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- Outcomes (up to 2,500 characters)
- What results do people achieve in your care? Tell us which measures you use and what they show.
- Quality and safety (up to 2,000 characters)
- How do you keep people safe and keep improving quality? Include any regulator ratings, such as CQC.
- Person-centred care (up to 2,000 characters)
- How do you involve people and their families in planning their rehabilitation?
- Team and development (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do you support, train and develop your team?
Recovery Retreat of the YearFor a retreat offering safe, well-run support for people in recovery.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- The retreat experience (up to 2,500 characters)
- How does your programme support recovery and wellbeing? Describe it as support, not treatment.
- Safety and safeguarding (up to 2,000 characters)
- How do you screen guests, link with their clinical care where needed, safeguard vulnerable adults and make the retreat accessible?
- Feedback and outcomes (up to 2,000 characters)
- What do guests tell you, and how do you measure the difference you make?
- Continuity and aftercare (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do you help guests carry the benefits home?
Addiction Recovery Service of the YearFor a service supporting people and families through addiction recovery.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- Recovery outcomes (up to 2,500 characters)
- What outcomes do the people you support achieve, and how do you measure them?
- Pathways and aftercare (up to 2,000 characters)
- How do people move into, through and on from your service?
- Support for families (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do you support families and people close to those in recovery?
- Lived experience and inclusion (up to 1,500 characters)
- How does lived experience shape your service, and how do you make it welcoming to everyone?
Innovation in RehabilitationFor a new approach, service or technology, including AI and health tech, that improves rehabilitation and care.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- The problem (up to 1,500 characters)
- What problem does your innovation address, and for whom?
- What is new (up to 2,000 characters)
- What is new about your approach, and how does it work in practice?
- Evidence of impact (up to 2,500 characters)
- What evidence shows it makes a difference? Include pilots, evaluations or user feedback.
- Safety, ethics and data (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do you make sure it is safe, fair and handles data properly? For AI, explain the human oversight.
Employer Wellbeing AwardFor an employer that supports staff health, recovery and return to work.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- Your approach (up to 2,000 characters)
- What does your organisation do to support staff health and wellbeing?
- Supporting recovery and return to work (up to 2,000 characters)
- How do you support colleagues through illness, treatment, recovery and returning to work?
- Impact (up to 2,000 characters)
- What difference has this made? Share measures such as feedback, retention or absence.
- Leadership and culture (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do leaders make wellbeing part of everyday working life?
Inclusive Workplace / Neurodiversity AwardFor a workplace that includes and supports neurodivergent people.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- Inclusion in practice (up to 2,000 characters)
- How does your organisation include neurodivergent people in recruitment, work and progression?
- Adjustments and support (up to 2,000 characters)
- What adjustments and support do you offer, and how easy are they to get?
- Listening to neurodivergent colleagues (up to 1,500 characters)
- How do neurodivergent colleagues shape what you do?
- Impact (up to 2,000 characters)
- What difference has this made?
Recovery ChampionFor an individual: a patient, survivor, carer or volunteer whose recovery or support inspires others. Nominate someone, or yourself.Show the criteria
- Short summary (up to 400 characters)
- Two or three sentences we may publish if your entry is shortlisted. Please do not include anyone’s health information.
- Their story (up to 2,500 characters)
- Tell us about the person you are nominating and what they have done. Only share what they are happy for us to know.
- The difference they make (up to 2,000 characters)
- How have they helped or inspired others?
- Why now (up to 1,500 characters)
- Why do they deserve to be recognised this year?
Outstanding Contribution to RehabilitationThe judges' choice. This award is not open for entries.
The rules
- Independent judges. Every entry is scored by an independent panel. Judges declare any conflict of interest and cannot score an entry they are connected to.
- Published criteria. The questions above are exactly what the judges score.
- No sponsor can buy a result. Category sponsors present awards but never see scores and have no say in who wins.
- Entry fee £150 per entry, excluding VAT. Free for registered charities.
- Support, not cures. Entries must not claim that anything treats, cures or prevents cancer.
Tell me when entries open
We'll send you one email when the entry portal opens in April 2027.