Excellence in Clinical Audit Awards 2026

The awards are designed to celebrate the individuals and teams who are transforming healthcare through rigorous clinical audit and evidence-informed improvement projects. Find out about the winners of each category below:

Strategic Impact Award 2026

This award recognises clinical audits and evidence-informed improvement projects that use healthcare data to support the delivery of national or strategic priorities, including the NHS 10 Year Plan, leading to a sustainable healthcare service that ensures resources are used where they benefit patients most.

• WINNER: Dr Aicha Bouraoui, on behalf of the Adolescent and Young Adult Rheumatology Team, University College London Hospitals
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: Improvement Networks Team, NHS Elect
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: Urology Prostate Cancer Pathway Team, Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (also joint winner of the Evidence into Practice award)

Find out more here: Strategic Impact award announcement.

Equity and Patient Involvement Award 2026

This award recognises clinical audits and evidence-informed improvement projects that put patients at the centre of care, by effectively engaging them, carers and communities, and/or helping to address healthcare inequalities.

• WINNER: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Link Worker Team, West London NHS Trust (also winner of the Communicating for Impact commendation)
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA), Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, RCPCH (also runner-up of the Use of National Clinical Audit commendation)
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: Dr Hemavathy Palanyiaya and Danielle Ashley, Community Paediatric Team, Mary Sheridan Centre, Evelina Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: Dr Claire Stewart, Community Paediatric Team, Mary Sheridan Centre, Evelina Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Find out more here: Equity and Patient Involvement award announcement.

Innovation Award 2026

This award recognises clinical audits and evidence-informed improvement projects that use healthcare data in new or creative ways to improve care. This may include novel uses of data, digital tools, technology, analytics, or artificial intelligence.

• WINNER: Data Science and Infection Prevention and Control Team, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• RUNNER-UP: End of Life Care Champions, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust

Find out more here: Innovation award announcement.

Patient Safety Award 2026

This award recognises clinical audits and evidence-informed improvement projects that have a primary focus on improving patient safety.

• WINNER: Dermatology Department, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
• RUNNER-UP: Rehabilitation Unit, Clayponds Hospital, West London NHS Trust

Find out more here: Patient Safety award announcement.

Evidence into Practice Award 2026

This award recognises clinical audits and evidence-informed improvement projects that have resulted in clear and impactful change to the delivery of services.

• JOINT WINNER: Dr Inderpal Singh OBE, Fracture Liaison Service, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (also joint winner of the Use of National Clinical Audit commendation)
• JOINT WINNER: Urology Prostate Cancer Pathway Team, Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (also joint runner-up of the Strategic Impact award)
• RUNNER-UP: Ty Llewelyn Medium Secure Services, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB)

Find out more here: Evidence into Practice award announcement.

In addition to the five main award categories above, we awarded two additional commendations:

Use of National Clinical Audit Commendation

Given to projects demonstrating excellence in the use of data from the NCAPOP to deliver improvements in healthcare:

• JOINT WINNER: Dr Inderpal Singh OBE, Fracture Liaison Service, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (also joint winner of the Evidence into Practice award)
• JOINT WINNER: End of Life Care Leadership team, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
• RUNNER-UP: National Paediatric Diabetes Audit, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, RCPCH (also joint runner-up of the Equity and Patient Involvement award)

Find out more here: Use of National Clinical Audit commendation announcement.

Communicating for Impact Commendation

Given to projects demonstrating excellence in effective communication of impact.

• WINNER: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Link Worker Team, West London NHS Trust (also winner of the Equity and Patient Involvement award)
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT), hosted by NHS Blood and Transplant
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: Special Care Community Dental Services, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• JOINT RUNNER-UP: NHS Southern Gambling Service (SGS), Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust

Find out more here: Communicating for Impact commendation announcement.

Tell us what you think

Please share your feedback about the Clinical Audit Excellence Awards, or Clinical Audit Awareness Week more generally, here: www.hqip.org.uk/caaw26-feedback.