Winners 2022
Last year we received 1,144 nominations across our award categories. After a rigorous judging process, the fantastic individuals and project teams listed below were selected as the overall winner for their category.
Excellence in Delivery Award
A Skilled Civil Service
NHS COVID Pass Programme
Department of Health and Social Care
The NHS COVID Pass continues to be a critical tool for guiding the UK out of the pandemic and helping citizens return to a more normal way of life, unlocking international travel for work, pleasure and reuniting families and friends. Despite extreme time pressures, the service was delivered on budget and ahead of schedule, including supporting services such as a letter service for those with limited or no digital access. The NHS COVID Pass propelled the NHS app to be the most downloaded app in 2021, encouraging expansion of NHS digital services, leading a c700% increase in those using the app to access other health services.
Developing and Supporting People Award
supported by Baringa
A Skilled Civil Service
Junior Leaders Networking Events (JLNE) Team
Cross-Government
The Junior Leaders Networking Events (JLNE) team has shown remarkable commitment and made tremendous achievements through intentionally developing, strengthening and building the capability of cross-government junior colleagues (AA-EO) over the last three years. In the context of the pandemic, and completely in addition to their day jobs, they have adapted their offer to deliver online and beyond their initial audience within the East, South East and London (ESEL) region. JLNE has impacted colleagues across 14 departments and several agencies, thus ensuring that our Civil Service junior talent is retained, have access to developmental opportunities and feel valued.
Diversity and Inclusion Award
A Skilled Civil Service
Servicewomen’s Health Improvement Focus Team (SHIFT)
Ministry of Defence
The House of Commons Defence Committee’s report into ‘Women in the Armed Forces’ highlighted health and wellbeing (HWB) challenges our Servicewomen face that have an enduring personal effect on them and impact their ability to achieve their full potential in Defence and on Operations. SHIFT brought together Whole Force expertise in HWB, healthcare, human performance research, training, information, and communications to deliver an ambitious project within six months. The team’s tireless dedication saw them delivering improvements for Servicewomen in all aspects of their HWB, especially menopause, breastfeeding, urination and menstruation, supported by a campaign to demystify women’s health and educate the Chain of Command and colleagues. |
Best Use of Data and Technology Award
supported by Tata Consultancy Services
An Innovative Civil Service
Team Phoenix
Department for Work and Pensions
DWP Digital has delivered a new Passport Benefit Checking Service that enables NHS Pharmacies across England to perform a real-time DWP benefit check, at the point of dispensing the medication. This provides confirmation that an individual is entitled to free prescriptions based on their benefit. Working in close partnership with NHS colleagues, the service was piloted initially in the North East of England and has now been rolled out nationally, not only saving the NHS c£240 million a year in administration costs but also ensuring citizens don’t incorrectly pay for their medication.
Science and Innovation Award
An Innovative Civil Service
Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce
Department of Health and Social Care
This nomination recognises the exemplary use of scientific evidence by the Antivirals and Therapeutics Taskforce (ATTF) and its delivery partners, most notably the NIHR, to identify potential COVID-19 therapeutics, trial them as part of an advanced programme of clinical trials and deploy safe and effective treatments to UK patients. The ATTF used robust scientific evidence collected through horizon scanning for evidence of safety and efficacy generated by UK and global clinical trials, to make decisions about compound prioritisation, procurement and deployment to patients. As a result, the ATTF rapidly identified and made available nine COVID-19 treatments to UK patients. |
Evaluation and Analysis Award
An Innovative Civil Service
Russia/Ukraine Economic Analysis Team
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
In 2022, economists in the FCDO responded to the unprecedented demands of the Russia / Ukraine crisis with a huge surge in resource, cross-team working and innovative use of data and analysis techniques. The team delivered outstanding analysis that shaped UK policymaking in real time on the full range of Russia and Ukraine issues and remains ongoing to shape policymaking as the conflict continues. The analysis was shared widely with international partners, helping secure UK objectives and building credibility.
Project Delivery Award
An Ambitious Civil Service
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Despite having only 4.5 years instead of the usual 7, despite some of the wettest winters and hottest summers on record, despite the global pandemic; and despite global supply chain and workforce challenges, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Delivery Unit have worked tirelessly – across HMG and the Games partner organisations – to deliver a Games that was under budget, on time, and with a record attendance for any Commonwealth Games held in the UK. Birmingham 2022 was a global spectacle, a mega event that will leave lasting benefits for the city, region and UK.
One Civil Service Award
An Ambitious Civil Service
Cost of Living Payments to low income and disabled benefit claimants
Cross-Government
In just 7.5 weeks, a cross-government policy, legal, analytical, communications and project team (from HMT,HMRC,DWP,MoD,OPC,GLD and DAs) designed the Cost-of-Living payment policy and delivered primary legislation enabling payments worth £15bn to be paid to 8million low-income families and 6million disabled people. The team worked collaboratively to problem-solve, meet time-critical deadlines, deliver objective policy advice, and produce legislation and complex delivery mechanisms to pay claimants across multiple benefit types. This project has significant national impact by delivering financial support to the most vulnerable citizens across the UK. By 22 July, 7.2million payments had been made to 99% of eligible low-income, DWP-benefit claimants and 1.2million HMRC payments were made to eligible tax credit claimants in early September.
Productive Partnerships Award
supported by Costain
An Ambitious Civil Service
CEOP
National Crime Agency
This nomination is for the excellent collaboration between NCA officers and BAE Systems Ltd working in partnership with our international partners to tackle child sexual exploitation. |
Officers from the NCA, BAE data analysts and BAE data architects worked together in a blended team to develop tooling that assisted and continues to assist, in the identification of child sexual abuse offenders globally. The intelligence gained from this tooling has enabled the safeguarding of hundreds of children across the world. It has also provided novel insight into the use of the internet in CSAE offending, which is being used to influence industry partners and reduce offending worldwide.
Cabinet Secretary's Outstanding Leader Award
A Modern Civil Service
Sara Rathore
Home Office
The Home Office Liaison Officer Team was formed at pace in response to Operation Pitting, the largest UK military evacuation since the Second World War, during which HMG evacuated c15,000 individuals to the UK. These individuals were a combination of British nationals and their families, and Afghans eligible for relocation under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) having worked alongside British forces and other HMG teams. Sara Rathore was identified as an exceptional civil servant, transferring from her DHSC role as incident lead, managing NHS supply incidents and supporting Managed Quarantine Services, to build dynamic Home Office operational capability. |
Rising Star Award
supported by Newton
A Modern Civil Service
Tassie Ghilani
HM Prison and Probation Service
Tassie has battled extreme adversity in her life, with experience of both the care and criminal justice systems. She joined MoJ in June 2021 via the GFIE scheme to improve life chances for those leaving prison and demonstrated exceptional policy aptitude and leadership in her work to improve outcomes for prison leavers. Her tremendous potential has been recognised by her securing a permanent appointment on promotion, and she now leads work to improve experiences and outcomes for prison leavers across MoJ.
Programme of the Year Award
A Modern Civil Service
COP26 Unit
Cabinet Office
The COP26 Unit delivered the largest multilateral political event the UK has ever hosted, during a pandemic, reaching agreement among all 196 countries on ambitious action on a global existential issue. This entailed a massive logistical operation to safely gather 38,000 delegates in Glasgow including 120 world leaders, a bespoke global vaccination programme, leadership of the most complex multilateral negotiations process, and a series of initiatives to drive urgent practical action. The result – the historic Glasgow Climate Pact agreed by all countries, and more than 150 enhanced national pledges – accelerates action to reduce emissions, improve resilience and mobilise finance worldwide.
Prime Minister's Award for Exceptional Public Service
Clarice Pettit
Ministry of Defence
Clarice has made an outstanding contribution to the Ministry of Defence’s unit which coordinates the UK’s military support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is hard to overstate the importance of Clarice’s contribution to the work of the team and the UK’s support for Ukraine. She volunteered for the team in the early days of the conflict and quickly brought order to the team. She has led a variety of essential projects including the policy and planning required for gifting UK equipment to Ukraine, including Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS); working with MOD’s network to coordinate global support for equipment and ammunition; and co-ordinating the delivery of artillery and ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Through all of this Clarice has brilliantly modelled the best of the Civil Service, demonstrating a total commitment to public service and astonishing capacity and work ethic which inspires those around her. As a young civil servant, her grip of the issues and the quality of her advice leave even senior military officers in awe.