Nomination Process!

About the Awards

What are the B.A.M.E. HCAs

The Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of B.A.M.E. staff and allies from across the health and care fields in making significant improvements in career development support for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff. This includes exceptional initiatives and leadership, and the improvement of services, or access to services for people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

 

The B.A.M.E HCAs also aims to:

  • set a national framework for evaluating and recognising excellence among B.A.M.E. staff, and those championing equity in health and care and improving the quality of services to a diverse population.
  • improve career progression for nominees through spurring motivation and offering a structured mentoring and networking programme for award winners.
  • promote acknowledgement of the contribution of B.A.M.E. staff and the promotion of good practice in improving services to B.A.M.E. patients and communities.
  • identify and celebrate current and future leaders in health and care who are passionate about health equity and improving outcomes.

Award winners will have access to on-going peer support and professional development programme to encourage their further development towards significant leadership roles in health and care in their future career.

The inaugural national B.A.M.E. Health and Care Awards ceremony took place on Thursday 17th October 2019 in London.

 

The Nomination Process

The NHS Long-Term Plan and the Interim People Plan emphasise that developing a positive, inclusive and people-centred culture, where diversity is respected and valued, is essential to achieving the NHS’ ambitions over the next eight years.

The National Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.) Health and Care Awards have been developed to celebrate the progress in supporting B.A.M.E. staff to thrive in our organisations. Where healthcare organisations are investing in preventing health inequalities, we want to acknowledge and share good practice interventions, tools, and innovative ideas that contribute to better patient care.

Award winners can be from any background but need to demonstrate that they have made a positive and sustainable difference in the lives of B.A.M.E. people, staff, patients, and users of services or communities.

Who can nominate?

Anyone

Who can be nominated?

Nominees must be either a current employee or a team in an NHS or  social care service in the statutory, voluntary or private sector in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

 

How to nominate:

  • The nomination will be through an online form on the website. There is also a Word version of the form available on request.
  • People can be nominated for more than one of the award categories (but each nomination requires a separate entry).
  • Individuals completing nomination forms need to demonstrate how the nominee meets all of the criteria for each category. Please provide tangible details and evidence to support each nomination. Unsupported claims will be rejected. The maximum word limit is 250 words for each criterion. Anything beyond 250 words will be rejected.         

    Nominations Now Open

    Closing date for nominations: 24 June, 2024

    The Awards ceremony takes place in London on 26 September, 2024

     

    Awards Categories

    The National B.A.M.E Health & Care Award 2024 categories. Click each category to view: 

    Ally of the Year

    The Ally of the Year Award recognises those who have gone out of their way to support and advocate for marginalised groups who have been discriminated against within healthcare – while not being a member of this group.

    As an ally, they have demonstrated a willingness to act with and for others in pursuit of ending discrimination and creating equality, taking action to make an institutional change.

    As well as examining the initiatives the candidates have pioneered to inspire diverse talent to succeed in healthcare. Judges will also assess their leadership, evidence of growth and their work’s impact on and integration with the business.

     

    Criteria:

    • Nominations must provide evidence that the candidate has had high corporate visibility in actively promoting a workplace culture of B.A.M.E .inclusion through purposeful, positive and mindful efforts that have shown measurable benefit to people from the B.A.M.E. community. (250 words max.)
    • Candidates should have achieved identifiable and sustained change in everyday expectations in the workplace, cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can excel. (250 words max.)
    • Has ensured that the improvements they have made are sustainable across the organisation. (250 words   max.)
    Compassionate and Inclusive Leader

    This leader creates a culture where staff feel safe to be themselves and where everyone feels inspired to achieve their best. They “raise the bar” to ensure that the whole service responds to the needs of B.A.M.E. patients and communities. They are prepared to innovate, challenging the system where necessary while rewarding and encouraging good practice as it develops.

    Criteria:

    • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader actively supporting B.A.M.E employees. (250 words max.)
    • Has implemented an improvement initiative that has significantly enhanced either the career progression of B.A.M.E. staff or care for B.A.M.E patients/service users. (250 words max.)
    • Has ensured that the improvements they have made are sustainable across the organisation. (250 words   max.)
    • Has constructively managed to remove a significant barrier to change affecting B.A.M.E communities or B.A.M.E   staff. (250 words max.)

    Ground-breaking Researcher

    This nominee or nominated team has developed research with the potential to improve health outcomes of BAME patients and/or communities. Their primary focus has been to address the specific needs of BAME communities with recommendations on how the needs of these groups can be addressed.

    Criteria:

    • Has implemented a research project that has significantly enhanced the care or access to care for BAME patients/service users. (250 words max.)
    • Has ensured that any recommendations arising from the research project are sustained or disseminated across the organisation. (250 words max.)
    • Has constructively managed to remove a significant barrier to change affecting BAME communities. (250      words max.)
    Inspiring Diversity and Inclusion Lead

    This person has a job role that is predominantly to lead on race equality issues. The person strives to ensure that the views of B.A.M.E. groups are heard, often asking the difficult questions to change the system. This person is a great influencer and inspires and motivates everyone around them to improve services for B.A.M.E.staff and communities.

    Criteria:

    The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader in actively supporting BAME employees. (250 words max.)

    • Has enabled a change in the way the service operates that responds to a longstanding concern of B.A.M.E. staff, patients/service users or carers. (250 words max.)
    • Has created a structural change that ensures either B.A.M.E. staff or B.A.M.E. patients/service users or carers have a more influential voice in the organisation. (250 words max.)
    • Has constructively managed to remove a significant barrier to change affecting B.A.M.E. communities or B.A.M.E.  staff. (250 words max.) 

     

    Community Initiative of the Year

    The service or organisation has been a key player in securing a community development beneficial to the local B.A.M.E. population through working directly with other agencies.

    Criteria:

    • The service or organisation has developed new constructive working relationships with community partners. (250 words max.)
    • The initiative has been commended by a local B.A.M.E. community group or representative body. (250 words max.)
    • The initiative has overcome historical obstacles to integrated working. (250 words max.)

     

    Clinician of the Year

    This category is intended for those working in medical clinical roles considered role models by their team or organisation in ensuring high-quality and compassionate clinical practice and ensuring a proactive approach to reducing inequities in service provision.

    Criteria:

    • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader. (250 words max.)
    • The nominee has introduced a practice change that is now part of the normal routine of the organisation (250 words max.)
    • The nominee has produced significant improvements in B.A.M.E. staff development or B.A.M.E. patient clinical outcomes (250 words   )

      Voluntary Sector B.A.M.E. Influencer of the Year

      This category is intended for individuals working as volunteers in health or social care organisations who are considered role models by organisation in ensuring reducing health inequalities experienced by Black, Asian or minority ethnic communities and raising awareness of clinicians and care staff of the health needs of B.A.M.E. communities .

      • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader. (250 words max.) 
      • The nominee has introduced a practice change that is now part of the normal routine of the organisation (250 words max.) 
      • The nominee has produced significant improvements in staff and clinician awareness of B.A.M.E. health issues and B.A.M.E. patient clinical outcomes (250 words) 
      Health and Wellbeing Advocate

      This person or team has designed an innovative health prevention initiative or tool which is:

      (a) Improving health outcomes for B.A.M.E. employees, patients or communities;

      (b) Increasing knowledge and awareness of health issues; or

      (c) Improving access to prevention and screening services.

       

      Criteria:

      • Has implemented an innovative health prevention initiative or tool which is improving health outcomes for B.A.M.E. people and communities, increasing awareness of health issues or improving access to services. (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has clearly shown a positive impact of the initiative or tool on health outcomes for B.A.M.E. patients. (250 words max.)
      • Has constructively managed to remove a significant barrier to change affecting B.A.M.E. communities. (250 words max.)

      Outstanding Achievement in Social Care

      This special award will be presented to the individual whom the judges believe has made a long-term outstanding contribution to social care. Nominations are welcomed from across the care sector. Nominations are welcomed from across the care sector.

      Criteria:

      • Has successfully advocated for organisational action that has improved access, communication or support for BAME people, staff, patients or communities. (250 words max.)

         

      • Has ensured that the improvement is sustained across the service/organisation. (250 words max.)

         

      • Has constructively managed to remove a barrier to change affecting BAME patients. (250 words max.)

      Junior Doctor of the Year

      This award is intended to identify and support doctors who are at the start of their careers and have shown a commitment to showing leadership in acting to improve the development opportunities for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff or improving access or quality of service for Black Asia and minority ethnic patients. The nomination should be supported by evidence that the nominee has introduced a sustained change in clinical practice.

      Criteria:

      • The nominee is a role model and actively supports patients. (250 words max.)
      • Has introduced a practice change. (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has produced significant improvements in B.A.M.E. staff development or patient clinical outcomes. (250 words  max.)

       

      B.A.M.E. Nurse of the Year

      The person is considered a role model in their team or organisation in ensuring high-quality and compassionate nursing practice and ensuring a proactive approach to reducing inequities in service provision for BAME patients or BAME staff development.

       Criteria:

      • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader. (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has introduced a practice change that is now part of the normal routine of the organisation (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has significantly improved BAME staff development or BAME patient clinical outcomes. (250 words   max.)
      B.A.M.E. Midwife of the Year

      The person is considered a role model by their team or organisation in ensuring high quality and compassionate midwifery practice and ensuring a proactive approach to reducing inequities in service provision for B.A.M.E. patients or staff development. 

      Criteria:

      • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader. (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has introduced a practice change that is now part of the normal routine of the organisation (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has produced significant improvements in B.A.M.E. staff development or BAME patient clinical outcomes (250 words.)
      0utstanding B.A.M.E. Inclusion Achievement of the Year

      The person has produced a practice for B.A.M.E. patients or carers or a development initiative for B.A.M.E. staff that has gained national recognition as an example of good practice.

       Criteria:

      • The nominee successfully  created and maimstreamed a new practice in their organisation that improved clinical outcome or improved development opportunities  (250 words max.)
      • The nominee is a role model for constructively challenging inequities in practice. (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has secured financial investment in the service to support their new practice . (250 words max.)
      Outstanding Corporate Achievement of the Year

      The organisation has launched an initiative that improves clinical outcomes for B.A.M.E. patients or shows evidence of successfully supporting the career development of B.A.M.E. staff.

      Criteria:

      • The initiative has received national level recognition. (250 words max.)
      • The intiative has been included in the organiation’s strategic objectives . (250 words max.)
      • The organsiation has identified a significant budget to support the initiative. (250 words max.)
      • The organsiation  requires partner agencies to comply with the initiative (250 words max.)

       

      Lifetime Achievement Award

      This award recognises individuals who have a sustained record (over at least 10 years) of showing leadership and creating positive change in the field of health and social care provision and staff development.

      Criteria:

      • Has improved development opportunities available to Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff (250 words max.)
      • Has improved access and clinical outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic patients. (250 words max.)
      • Has shown a sustainable commitment over a series of roles. (250 words max.)
      • Has initiated and led more than one change initiative. (250 words max.)

      Please provide supporting evidence.

       

      Educator of the Year

      This person has an educating role that involves teaching and/or mentoring, coaching and developing staff. They have been robust in ensuring that course design includes consideration of health access and health inequity issues for B.A.M.E. patients and rigorous policies and support structures are in place to support students and staff with any issues of discrimination and harassment. The nominee should have a significant role in encouraging enrolment by B.A.M.E. students and facilitating learning opportunities and career development policies to support B.A.M.E. staff at junior organisational levels. The person is acknowledged within the organisation an influencer and inspirational leader.

      Criteria:

      • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader actively supporting students and employees. (250 words max.)
      • The nominee has created a structural change that ensures either B.A.M.E. students or B.A.M.E. staff have a more influential voice in the organisation’s training and development policy. (250 words max.)
      • Has constructively managed to remove a significant barrier to change. (250 words max.)

         

      Student of the Year

      This person has not only achieved excellent academic grades but achieved progress in ensuring improved recognition of B.A.M.E. issues in the coursework through either successfully lobbying for change in the content of their study course or for improvements to the support available for B.A.M.E. students.

       

      Criteria:

      • The nominee is a role model and inspirational leader to other students (250 words max.)
      • Has enabled a change in their course of study that improves awareness for course participants of health and care challenges faced by BAME patients or helped facilitate the introduction of additional support for BAME students (250 words max.)

      Outstanding Community Organisation

      This category is intended for community organisations working in partnership in health or social care organisations to reduce health inequalities experienced by Black, Asian or minority ethnic communities and raising awareness of clinicians and care staff of the health needs of B.A.M.E. communities

       

      Criteria:

      • The nominated organisation is seen as an exemplar of good practice in working in partnership with the health or social care organisational partner (250 words max.) 
      • The nominated organisation has introduced a practice change that is now part of the normal routine of the health or social organisation (250 words max.) 
      • The nominated organisation has produced significant improvements in staff and clinician awareness of B.A.M.E. health issues and B.A.M.E. patient clinical outcomes (250 words) 

      Timeline

      2024 nominations are now open! 

      Closing date: 24 June, 2024