The winners of the iNetwork Innovation Awards 2021 are announced! The Innovation Awards Dinner and Ceremony on Thursday 19th May 2022 was iNetwork’s first in-person event since the start of the pandemic. The evening saw the announcement of eight winners in total:

– iStandUK Award (for Data sharing)
– Connected Procurement & Commissioning Award
– Effective Information Sharing & Security Award
– Transforming & Innovating Public Services Award
– C19 Response & Recovery Recognition Award
– Partnership Excellence Award
– Most Creative Video Award
– Outstanding Contribution Award

iStandUK Award

The first category of the night was for the iStandUK Award. This award recognises projects that demonstrates innovation and achievement in the effective use of data and information standards to improve services, to enable information transparency and/or to enable common understanding of a key issue. The award was presented by Paul Davidson, iStandUK, & Phil Swan, GMCA. The winner of this award is:

NAFN Data & Intelligence Services (Tameside MBC) – National Register of Licensing Refusals and Revocations

Connected Procurement & Commissioning (CPC) Award

The Connected Procurement & Commissioning (CPC) award recognises initiatives that use innovative and collaborative procurement or commissioning practices to tackle social outcomes, deliver savings and efficiencies, and generally support the improvement of public service organisations and the communities they serve. This award is sponsored by YPO and was presented by Gavin Rimmington, YPO, and Nichola Cooke, STAR Procurement. The winner of the CPC category is:

Manchester City Council – Manchester Early Intervention and Prevention Services for Children with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism

Effective Information Sharing & Security (EISS) Award

The Effective Information Sharing & Security (EISS) Award recognises projects that facilitate the secure storage, sharing, and/or use of sensitive information to deliver more efficient and effective services for users whilst ensuring that personal information is protected. The award was presented by David Willis, Lancashire & Midlands CSU, and Alan Boardman, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT. The winner of the EISS category is:

Greater Manchester Combined Authority – Early Years Integrated Solution

Transforming & Innovating Public Services (TIPS) Award 

The fourth category was for the Transforming & Innovating Public Services (TIPS) Award. This award recognises teams and organisations that have successfully implemented change for people and places. The winning project demonstrated evidence of improved outcomes through innovative citizen focused solutions in the areas of data, technology and/or culture change. 

This award is sponsored by TPXimpact and was presented by Matt Skinner, TPXimpact, and Rahna Riley, Rochdale Borough Council. The winner of the TIPS award category is:

Greater Manchester Combined Authority & Partners – Safer Streets Fund R3 Programme

C-19 Response and Recovery Recognition Award

The fifth award of the evening was the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Recognition Award. This award recognised the response to and recovery from the unprecedented challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, it looked for evidence of making a difference to the lives of people adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and/or the extent to which old, established ways of working have been challenged to build back better. The award was presented by Sarah Bullock, Cheshire East Council, and the winners were:

Wigan Council – Reservist Model and Workforce Transformation

Partnership Excellence Award

After all our programme awards were announced, we moved on to the Partner Excellence Award. This award exists to celebrate innovation, collaboration, efficiency and going the extra mile in partnership working. The award was presented by Sarah Deignan, Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The winner is:

NDL – Covid-19 Local Test Booking, Administration and Reporting Solution

 

Most Creative Video Award

All shortlisted finalists who attended on the night submitted fantastic projects this year and alongside this were required to submit a short video on their project. View all of this year’s shortlisted finalist.

All shortlisted finalists were then automatically entered in the next category for the Most Creative Video Award. This award recognised the originality and ingenuity to create inspired, fun and/or impactful video content. The award was presented by Shelley Heckman, iNetwork, and the winners are:

CC2i and Partners – Digital Discharge to Assess (Hospital to Home)

Outstanding Contribution Award

Finally the most anticipated award of the evening, the Outstanding Contribution Award was announced. It recognises the outstanding contribution of the iNetwork member organisation that has done the most to promote learning and sharing of innovation and best practice. The award was presented by Steven Pleasant MBE, Chair of iNetwork and the winner was:

Wigan Council

The evening closed with some remarks from Steven Pleasant MBE, who thanked all those that have supported iNetwork and to all the judges who have given up their time to help and support the Innovation Awards 2021.  

Find out More

A selection of the best images from the night can be found in the gallery here. The iNetwork website has details of all the finalists for each of the award categories. 

You can find out more, in detail, about each of  this year’s nominations at the Innovation Awards Showcase: Celebrate, Learn and Share on 26 May 2022. The showcase is a virtual event with invited speakers to share their project and the key achievements, learning and outcomes. If you cannot attend the whole day, don’t worry, because all registered delegates will be given 30 days access from 26th May to all of the showcase content. This means that you can catch up on all the amazing projects when it is best for you.

Register to attend the Innovation Awards Showcase now.