Calling For Nominations For The First BMJ Group Awards

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training;  Primary Care / General Practice
Article Date: 08 Oct 2008 - 10:00 PDT

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The BMJ Group (British Medical Journal) today reveals the 10 categories of the first inaugural BMJ Group Awards which will recognise and celebrate excellence in health care across the globe.

The BMJ Group Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 2 April 2009 in London, presented by broadcaster and comedienne Sandi Toksvig. The awards will recognise individuals, organisations and initiatives that demonstrate outstanding and measurable contributions across the health care community.

The categories are:

-- Research paper of the year
-- Corporate social responsibility
-- Health communicator of the year
-- Best innovation in medical communication
-- Best quality improvement
-- Outstanding achievement in evidence based health care
-- Excellence in learning and education
-- Clinical leadership
-- Global leadership
-- BMJ Group award for lifetime achievement (to be chosen by open vote on bmj.com)

Ten leading doctors and scientists have been chosen to champion each award. The short-list for each category will be decided by a prestigious panel of judges drawn from a wide range of international experts and will comprise some of the most influential men and women in health care. They include Angela Coulter, Chief Executive of the Picker Institute Europe; Niall Dickson, Head of the Kings Fund; Anthony Costello, Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health; Kenneth Calman, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow; Don Berwick CEO of Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston; and Paul Rueckert, Coordinator of the GTZ Health Programme in Pakistan.

All awards are open to nominations from individuals/organisations or a third party. You can enter online at http://group.bmj.com/awards and entry is free.

Nominations will close on Friday 19 December 2008, and the short list for each award will be announced at the end of January 2009.

Fiona Godlee Editor of the BMJ comments:

"The BMJ Group Awards are a chance for health care to celebrate its successes…The challenges and opportunities in health care have never been greater. Nor has the need for good people committed to excellence, innovation, effectiveness, and integrity. These are the qualities the BMJ Group Awards aim to recognise."

Stella Dutton CEO of the BMJ Group said:

"We hope that the BMJ Group Awards will become an annual accolade of distinction prized in health care and medicine across the globe. I encourage everyone to nominate and become involved in this exciting and positive venture."

For more information on the entry requirements for each award and information on how to nominate please see http://group.bmj.com/awards