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Honouring a woman with at least 20 years' experience whose career represents a sustained legacy of impact, advocacy and influence on the position of women in the sector. This is not simply a long-service award: judges will be looking for a demonstrable pattern of advocacy and role-modelling sustained across a career, not longevity or seniority alone. Entrants may be nominated by themselves, though nominations from colleagues who can speak to the entrant's wider influence are particularly welcome. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• A body of work with lasting influence on the sector
• A demonstrable pattern of overcoming or dismantling gender-specific obstacles
• Recognised influence on multiple generations of women
• Sustained commitment to advancing women across a career
• 20+ years' experience, with supporting testimony of legacy 

Recognises an individual, of any gender, who has made a sustained and demonstrable contribution to mentoring, sponsoring or advocating for women's progression in the sector. This may be a formal mentoring relationship or a less formal pattern of sponsorship recognised by those who have benefited from it. Entries should focus on the measurable difference this mentorship has made to the career or confidence of the woman or women supported, rather than the general reputation of the mentor. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Active, sustained support for a woman's or women's career progression
• Demonstrable impact on the mentee's development
• Evidence of helping the mentee overcome gender-related obstacles
• Measurable change in confidence, trajectory or opportunity
• Testimony from those mentored

Recognises a woman within her first five years in a health and social care career who is already showing clear signs of future leadership, ambition and impact beyond what would typically be expected at this career stage. Open to any profession or setting across the sector. Judges will be looking for early evidence of the qualities that mark out future sector leaders, rather than a fully realised track record, and for signs that the nominee is already influencing those around her despite her limited time in the profession. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Evidence of overcoming early-career barriers
• Signs of influence on peers despite limited career length
• Early evidence of impact
• Signs of championing other women
• Testimonials or examples supporting the nomination

Recognising a woman whose leadership, influence and body of work have had a transformative impact across the sector as a whole - not confined to one organisation, trust or specialism. Open to any woman working in health and social care, clinical or non-clinical, at a senior stage of her career. Judges will look for impact that extends beyond the entrant's immediate team, and a demonstrable role in shaping how women are seen and supported across the wider sector. This is the category the ceremony is built around, and the standard is sector-wide recognition, not departmental excellence. All entries are judged to the same standard, regardless of profession, setting or job title.

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Transformative influence across the wider sector
• Evidence of overcoming or reducing gender-specific obstacles
• Clear embodiment of inclusivity and inspiration to others
• Active championing of women's progression
• Data, testimony or case studies substantiating the above

Recognises a woman within an acute or hospital care setting whose practice, advocacy or leadership has broken down barriers and role-modelled progression for other women in the field. Open to anyone working in acute or hospital care, clinical or non-clinical, at any career stage — this is not restricted to formal leadership roles. Judges will be looking for evidence of impact specific to the hospital setting, and for a demonstrable contribution to advancing the position of women within it. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Obstacles overcome as a woman in a hospital setting
• Influence on other women's progression within the hospital workforce
• Difference made to women's progression, leadership or influence within the hospital workforce
• Active promotion of women's advancement in a hospital setting
• Supporting testimony or data

Recognises a woman within community-based care whose practice, advocacy or leadership has broken down barriers and role-modelled progression for other women in the field. Covers district nursing, health visiting and community services outside primary care, open to any career stage — this is not restricted to formal leadership roles. Judges will be looking for evidence of impact specific to the community care setting, and for a demonstrable contribution to advancing the position of women within it. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Obstacles overcome as a woman in community care
• Influence on other women's progression in community care
• Difference made to women's progression, leadership or influence within community services
• Active promotion of women's advancement in a community setting
• Supporting testimony or data

Recognises a woman in mental health or learning disability services, across any care setting, whose practice, advocacy or leadership has broken down barriers and role-modelled progression for other women in the field. This is distinct from initiative-led categories elsewhere in the sector: judges are assessing the entrant's influence and advocacy specifically, not a single service-improvement project. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Obstacles overcome as a woman in mental health or learning disability services
• Influence on other women's progression in mental health or learning disability services
• Difference made to women's progression, leadership or culture within mental health or learning disability services
• Active promotion of women's advancement in a mental health or learning disability setting
• Supporting testimony or data 

Recognises a woman in primary care, including general practice and community pharmacy, whose practice, advocacy or leadership has broken down barriers and role-modelled progression for other women in the field. Judges will be looking for evidence of impact specific to the primary care setting, and for a demonstrable contribution to advancing the position of women within it. Open to GPs, practice nurses, practice managers and community pharmacists based in primary care, at any career stage. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Obstacles overcome as a woman in primary care
• Influence on other women's progression in primary care
• Difference made to women's progression or leadership within primary care
• Active promotion of women's advancement in a primary care setting
• Supporting testimony or data

Recognises a woman working in social care whose practice, advocacy or leadership has broken down barriers and role-modelled progression for other women in the field. Open to any social care setting, including adult and children's social care, residential and domiciliary care, supported living and social work, at any career stage.

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Obstacles overcome as a woman in a social care or support setting
• Influence on other women's progression within that setting
• Difference made to women's progression, leadership or influence within social care
• Active promotion of women's advancement within a social care or support setting
• Supporting testimony or data

Recognises a woman in a non-clinical, low-visibility role - such as administration, coordination, portering, facilities or behind-the-scenes support - whose contribution has made a significant difference to her colleagues or organisation but has gone largely unrecognised. Judges are looking for evidence of consistent, valued contribution regardless of seniority or job title.

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Contribution to colleagues, patients or the organisation, often behind the scenes
• Recognition from peers of consistently going above and beyond
• Evidence of actively supporting colleagues without a formal leadership title
• Testimony from colleagues or line managers

Recognises an individual - of any gender - who has consistently and demonstrably championed women's advancement in health and social care, whether through mentorship, sponsorship, policy change or visible advocacy.

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Consistent, demonstrable action supporting women's progression
• Evidence of the effect on diversity and inclusion outcomes
• Setting a visible example for other allies
• Testimony from those supported

Recognises a woman whose work has made a tangible difference to a local or regional community, whether through outreach, education or partnership work. Open to any setting across the sector. Judges will be looking for evidence of sustained, rather than one-off, community outreach. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Tangible benefit from outreach beyond the entrant's own setting
• Active, sustained community outreach, not a one-off initiative
• Visible influence on how the organisation reaches out beyond its own setting
• Supporting data or testimony

Recognises a woman driving innovation — clinical, digital or technological — within the sector, whose leadership of that innovation reflects genuine advocacy for women's visibility and progression in innovation-facing roles. Open to any specialism or setting. Judges are weighing the individual's leadership and influence, not solely the innovation's technical merit, so entries should demonstrate the entrant's personal role in driving and championing the work. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Active promotion or leadership of the innovation
• Demonstrable effect on patients, colleagues or services
• Influence on other women considering innovation-facing roles
• Supporting data or testimony 

Recognises a woman driving a culture of patient safety within her organisation or the wider sector, whether through leadership of a specific initiative or a broader pattern of advocacy for safety culture. Judges are assessing the entrant's leadership and influence, not the initiative in isolation. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Active leadership in promoting a safety culture
• Demonstrable improvement in patient safety outcomes
• Influence on colleagues' approach to safety
• Supporting data or testimony 

Recognises a woman influencing sector policy, regulation or sector-wide advocacy, whether through formal policy work, public campaigning or professional-body leadership. Judges will be looking for evidence of influence beyond the entrant's own organisation. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Measurable contribution to policy or public debate
• Evidence of influence beyond the entrant's own organisation
• Influence on other women considering policy work
• Supporting data or testimony

Recognises a woman whose leadership, advocacy or personal journey has helped break down racial and ethnic barriers to progression in health and social care, or whose work has made a tangible difference to race equity within her organisation or across the sector. This may recognise a woman who has herself overcome significant barriers to reach a senior role, or one whose advocacy has driven meaningful change for colleagues from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. Open to any specialism or setting. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Evidence of overcoming, or helping others overcome, racial or ethnic barriers
• Difference made to race equity within her organisation or the sector
• Visible influence on other women from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds
• Active work promoting race equity
• Data, testimony or case studies

Recognises a woman whose research or academic contribution has advanced sector knowledge, teaching or education. Open to any research setting, from clinical academia to university-based nursing and healthcare education. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Contribution to knowledge, teaching or research practice
• Influence on other women entering research or academia
• Active support for women pursuing academic careers
• Publications, citations or testimony 

Recognises a woman leading sustainability or green initiatives within health and social care, whether at service, organisational or system level. Open to any setting or specialism. Judges will be looking for a clear personal leadership role in the initiative, not simply membership of a wider programme. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Active promotion of sustainability practice or policy
• Measurable environmental or operational benefit
• Influence on colleagues' approach
• Supporting data or testimony

Recognises a woman whose work has significantly improved the wellbeing of colleagues or patients, whether through a specific programme or a sustained pattern of advocacy for staff wellbeing. This is an individual award, distinct from any organisation-level wellbeing recognition elsewhere in the sector. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Active promotion of wellbeing practice
• Demonstrable effect on morale, retention or care quality
• Influence on how colleagues approach wellbeing
• Supporting data or testimony

Recognises an organisation or supplier that has made a significant contribution to advancing women in the sector, typically via sponsorship, partnership or supply-chain activity. Open to any organisation with a demonstrable relationship to health and social care, not necessarily a provider itself. Judges will be looking for evidence of genuine commitment to the cause, not simply financial sponsorship of the event. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Demonstrable commitment beyond the sponsorship itself
• Evidence of the partnership's effect on the sector or event
• Whether the partnership sets an example for others
• Case studies or testimony 

Recognises a specific named team — not an organisation as a whole — led by, or actively driving advancement for, women in the sector. Any team from any setting or specialism is eligible. Judges will be looking for a defined piece of work or sustained pattern of activity attributable to this specific team, rather than a general statement of good practice. Entries must name the specific mechanism behind their claim — a mentoring structure, sponsorship programme, or measurable promotion outcomes — not a general statement of commitment. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• The team's contribution to advancing women's representation or progression
• Visible influence of the team's work beyond its immediate setting
• Evidence advancing women was a deliberate aim, not incidental
• Data or testimony supporting the above 

Recognises an organisation demonstrating an organisation-wide commitment to increasing women's visibility, progression, influence and leadership across health and social care. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• Organisation-wide, measurable commitment to women's progression
• Visible policies or programmes supporting women, across all professions represented
• Whether the organisation's approach is recognised as a model by others
• Data, case studies or survey feedback

Recognises an internal staff network or cross-industry/association group that champions women in health and social care. Open to networks based within a single organisation or spanning the wider sector, including professional bodies and royal colleges. Judges will be looking for evidence of the network's practical effect on its members, not simply its existence. 

Judges will be looking for evidence of: 

• The network's effect on its members or the wider sector
• Active work promoting equity, visibility or career support
• Whether the network is recognised as a model for others
• Testimony from members or measurable outcomes