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Spotlight Awards 2026

Categories and nominations

Spotlight Awards

Across Highland and Argyll and Bute, around 11,000 people work to look after their communities, the Spotlight Awards have been created to acknowledge them.

The work happens every day, and most of it goes unremarked because there is always the next thing to get to. These awards are a deliberate pause, a moment to stop, look at what colleagues have achieved, and say so out loud.

The categories are built around our values, and there are awards for individuals and for teams, because some of the best work here belongs to one person and some of it belongs to everyone who turned up that day.

The awards run twice a year, so there is never long to wait before the next chance to recognise someone.

If you work in NHS Highland, you can nominate a colleague. Simply complete three questions, it takes a few minutes, and could mean a great deal to the person you name.

Nominations are open until Friday 30 October.

On this page

Spotlight Awards Text
Innovation Improvement

Innovation and Improvement Award

For an individual or team

For staff or teams who have introduced a new idea, service change or improvement that has made a measurable difference to patient care, staff experience or efficiency.

Leadership Award

For an individual

For someone who inspires, supports and empowers colleagues and demonstrates our values through the way they lead, whether or not they hold a formal management role.

Leadership
Clinical

Clinical Award

For an individual or team

For clinical staff who have gone above and beyond in delivering safe, compassionate and high quality care.

Support Award

For an individual or team

For staff in non-clinical and support roles whose contribution underpins the delivery of care, including estates, facilities, administration, catering and corporate services.

Support
Unsung Hero

Unsung Hero Award

For an individual

For someone who consistently goes the extra mile without seeking recognition, whose quiet contribution makes a real difference to colleagues or patients.

Community Award

For an individual or team

For individuals, teams or partners who have strengthened links between NHS Highland and the communities we serve, including work that reduces inequalities.

Community

Nomination process

Three questions are to be completed as part of the process:

  1. Who are you nominating?

  2. What did they do?

  3. What difference did it make?

Questions 2 and 3 have a 250 word limit. Judges will use the criteria above to assess nominations against each category.

Make a nomination

Virtual awards ceremony

The awards ceremony will be held as a live Teams event, hosted over lunchtime by Chief Executive, Fiona Davies so that colleagues across Highland and Argyll and Bute can join wherever they are working.

Judging panel

Members will include representatives from:

Spotlight Awards Banner Text

Last updated: 25 September 2026

Next review date: 23 September 2026