Innovation awards

The Sally Hernando Innovation Awards were introduced in 2011 and are awarded every 2 years.

NHS Knowledge and Library Services (KLS) staff are natural innovators. They constantly improve their products and services to enable NHS staff and learners to provide excellent healthcare.

Health Education England (HEE) recognises knowledge and library services (KLS) innovation and innovators through these awards.

Sally Hernando (1957 to 2010) was the Head of Knowledge Management and E-learning at the former NHS South West. She led on many innovative national developments and played a key role in enabling KLS staff to realise their full potential.

Defining innovation

Innovation is a “novel” way of providing a service or a product which has not been seen before in NHS knowledge and library services.

For the awards, HEE is interested in new ideas rather than local adoption of best practice from elsewhere within the NHS. We like to see innovations that:

• are implemented and evaluated in terms of success and impact
• are easily replicated or adapted for use in other knowledge and library services 
• offer “quick wins” in terms of investment of time, finances and other resources 
• have a broad appeal that addresses a widespread need or requirement

Judging the Sally Hernando innovation awards

From a shortlist of 10 entries, Maria J. Grant (Editor-in-Chief of Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) Health Libraries Group Health Information and Libraries Journal) chooses the 3 winners. 

The winning innovations will be of interest to the wider profession and have an actual or potential organisational benefit. 

The winners receive a funded place at Health Libraries Group (or equivalent) conference to promote their innovations.

The Sally Hernando innovation awards winners