Greater Manchester celebrates success at the first NHS Excellence Awards

The NHS Excellence awards announced its 2026 regional champions with Greater Manchester picking up five awards. Following regional judging, regional champions have been selected for each award category. They will now go through to the next stage of national judging with national champions announced at the NHS ConfedExpo on Wednesday 10 June.

The NHS Excellence Awards 2026 are run by, and for, the NHS, shining a light on local projects and teams who are making a real difference to patients and communities, delivering on the ambitions of the 10 Year Health Plan and inspiring others to adopt innovative approaches in their local area. The ECO4 Flex Health Referral Pathways funded by NHS Greater Manchester was named the regional winner for the North West in the Sustainable Healthcare category. The initiative was recognised for its...

By embedding housing and energy support into NHS pathways, the programme links healthcare professionals with fully funded home energy improvements. This delivers measurable health benefits, reduces demand on NHS services and supports the NHS Net Zero commitment through system‑wide partnership working. The collaboration was recognised for continually improving patient outcomes and enhancing the lives of residents within Greater Manchester, whilst easing pressure on emergency services With ten...

Also picking up regional awards include: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Care Close, Care. Smarter: improved patient flow across mental health services by redesigning pathways, reducing delays and ensuring people receive the right care in the right place.