The first Cavell Clinical Procurement Awards: Celebrating courage, collaboration and impact

The very first Cavell Clinical Procurement Awards in partnership with NHS Supply Chain proved an emotional, uplifting and inspiring event. Bringing together an extraordinary community, with a shared purpose; to improve patient care through clinical insight, innovation and determination. 

These awards were created to recognise a vital, yet often unseen, part of the NHS. Clinical procurement plays a key role in ensuring that every product, every decision and every investment support better outcomes for patients. 

As England’s Chief Nursing Officer, Duncan Burton, opened the virtual ceremony, he captured the scale and significance of that responsibility: “Every single one of those purchasing decisions has the potential to help or harm a patient… that’s not a small thing. That’s an enormous responsibility.” 

In its first year, the awards attracted an outstanding range of submissions from across the NHS, each derived from everyday challenges and driven by a desire to improve care. 

Reflecting on the nominations, host, Cavell Chair Professor Nancy Fontaine shared: “All of the nominations… were incredible. They were really worthy. It was so difficult to actually choose winners.” 

What stood out across every category was a consistent set of qualities: 

• Deep commitment to better patient outcomes 
• Courage to challenge established practice 
• Strong collaboration between clinical and procurement teams 
• Relentless determination to see projects through. 

Nancy also said: “All of our winners have had belief… the courage to challenge… and an unshakable commitment to patients.” 

The awards were judged by a panel of respected leaders across nursing, sustainability, procurement and NHS leadership, including: 

• Dr Emma Blakey, NHS England, Sustainability and Nursing Leadership
• Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England
• Professor Clare Cable, Chief Executive of the Burdett Trust for Nursing
• Dame Jackie Daniel, Cavell Patron
• Greg Dix, Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Professionals
• Liz Fenton OBE, Director of Nursing and Midwifery, NHS England
• Steve Ford, Editor of the Nursing Times
• Brenda Griffiths, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Nurses
• Alexandra Hammond, NHS England
• Gill Rogers, Trustee for the Eaton Fund
• Harman Shergill, Procurement Category Manager at St. James’ Place
• Deborah Sturdy CBE, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care for the United Kingdom
• Heather Tierney-Moore OBE, Chair of NHS Supply Chain and Cavell Patron.

Greta Westwood CBE, Chief Executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation Judges consistently highlighted:

• The rigour behind each initiative
• The strategic thinking required to drive change
• The tenacity needed to overcome barriers.

With one judge reflecting on how the strongest entries combined clinical focus with system-wide impact, demonstrating how procurement decisions can influence care at scale. 

The worthy and humble winners represent the very best of clinical procurement; individuals and teams whose work is already transforming care across the NHS. 

Rising Star: Heather Skelland, Clinical Practice Educator, Mersey and West Lancs NHS Trust 
A passionate advocate for value-based procurement, Heather demonstrated how clinical insight can drive both safety improvements and cost efficiencies – always keeping the patient experience front and centre. 

Patient Outcomes: Abigail Knight, Hart Free Care Lead, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS FT 
Abigail led a quality improvement initiative addressing incontinence-associated dermatitis, improving patient dignity, reducing harm and driving measurable improvements across the Trust. 

Sustainability: Fiona Weaver, Team Leader and CNS, Wirral Community Health and Care NHS FT 
Fiona challenged long-standing assumptions by introducing reusable continence products – reducing waste, improving patient acceptance and delivering environmental and financial benefits. 

Clinical Procurement Team of the Year: Andrew Mitchell and Ian Dodd , Category Lead, Engagement Specialist, NHS Supply Chain 

A transformational programme in complex abdominal wall reconstruction demonstrated the power of value-based procurement – reducing recurrence rates dramatically while improving patient outcomes and cutting costs. 

Their approach was defined by persistence and belief: Ian Dodd said: “It’s having the ability to drive it forward… not being afraid to fail… and keep persevering because if you feel it’s right, then it’s the right thing to do.” 

Patient Safety: Maya Aquino-Guerrero, Clinical Specialist, NHS Supply Chain 
Maya led a national initiative to improve IV therapy safety, accelerating access to monitoring technology and reducing serious complications – demonstrating how procurement can directly improve patient safety at scale. 

A defining theme of the awards was the sheer determination behind every project. A refusal to accept no as the final answer. 

Nancy Fontaine captured it perfectly: “Not taking no for an answer… standing up and being counted… and knowing this is the right thing for patients.” 

Beyond individual success, the awards highlighted something equally powerful: the strength of the clinical procurement community. 

Award attendees spoke about: 

• A shared sense of purpose 
• Strong partnerships between national and local teams 
• The importance of supporting and recognising one another. 

As one participant reflected, it’s a role that can be challenging, balancing financial pressures with patient outcomes, but one where recognition matters deeply. 

The success of the first Cavell Clinical Procurement Awards was clear to see. They have set a strong precedent as a platform for continued progress. Everyone at the event was left with a resounding feeling of ‘we’ve achieved something amazing here, bringing together and shining a light on these talented, dedicated NHS colleagues; how can we continue to make patient outcomes even better. Duncan Burton said: “Your work is seen. Your work matters. And it is worth celebrating.”  

We look forward to the next Cavell Clinical Procurement Awards in partnership with NHS Supply Chain.