For many years, HEFMA has recognised the work and achievements of its members working within NHS Estates & Facilities services across six categories at its annual award. In 2025, six will become seven with the addition of a new Sustainability Award.
The HEFMA Sustainability Award will recognise the initiatives and ideas introduced and undertaken by members to avoid the depletion of natural resources as a result of their activities – maintaining and operating healthcare estates and services – in order to maintain an environmental, economic and social balance.
The judging panel for this new award category will be looking for projects and initiatives which go beyond traditional schemes – such as installing PV panels, low energy lighting and EV charging points – to more cross cutting and innovative sustainability.
Each nomination should link to one of the four HEFMA strategic workstreams of Workforce, Digitalisation, Compliance and Sustainability.
Nominations that demonstrate a positive impact on patient experience, and those that impact both Hard and Soft FM services will receive particular recognition.
The judges want to see
In evaluating entries, the judges will be looking for a demonstration of how the initiative meets the following attributes:
• Originality. Is it a new concept or variation of existing ideas? Was it developed independently or in cooperation with others? If so who.
• Measurable benefits. There should be a clear statement of how the initiative delivers measurable benefits to patients, staff and/or the wider community, with the value described in financial or non-financial terms.
• Link to HEFMA Strategy workstreams. Demonstrate how the entry links to one or more of the HEFMA strategic workstreams and the benefits being delivered.
• Governance, ethics and engagement. Describe the governance, ethics and/or engagement the nomination has had to meet in order to comply with the organisations policies and ethos.
• Innovation. Demonstrate where the nomination has broken innovative new ground and how this could be transferable to others.
•Embedded practice. Provide narrative, and evidence, which explains how this has become embedded in the organisation’s practice and what economic, social, or environmental benefits are being delivered. This should demonstrate the long-term, positive effects to services across the organisation.
Enter now
The other award categories remain unchanged: Leader of the Year, Project of the Year, People Development, Personal Development, Efficiency & Improvement and Team of the Year, plus the Outstanding Achievement Award which is rewarded separately to an individual who in the opinion of the judges has made an exceptional contribution to E&F services within the NHS throughout their career.
The nomination process for the 2025 awards is open now, through a simple, online process. It will close on January 31, 2025.
