Project supporting children and young people highly commended in national awards

 

The Children and Young People’s Vanguard for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire was highly commended in the Reducing Inequalities and Improving Outcomes for Children and Young People Award at the HSJ awards on Thursday 20 November 2025. 

The project was also shortlisted in the Early Intervention and Prevention for Children, Young People and Families Award.  

The multi-agency project, funded by NHS England South-West Health & Justice, brings together local and regional NHS organisations, the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire local authorities and voluntary and community sector organisations to identify high-risk children and support them to avoid criminal justice system involvement at an earlier stage. More than 1,500 children have been supported since the project launched in 2020. 

Emma Morgan, project manager for the Vanguard project at NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, said: 

“We are incredibly proud to have been highly commended in these national awards. It highlights the outstanding work and outcomes of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Vanguard, demonstrating how a trauma-informed, integrated approach at the earliest point can reduce high-risk behaviours while improving children’s wellbeing and sense of purpose. 

“The Vanguard truly deserves this recognition for its innovative work across statutory and voluntary sector agencies, enabling children with complex needs in the local area to thrive.” 

Other projects from the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire health system were shortlisted in the awards, including: 

  • The BNSSG Mental health and wellbeing Integrated Network Teams (MINT). Shortlisted in the category ‘Integrated Care Initiative of the Year’. It brings together a wide range of partners involved in local mental health provision, including people with lived experience, to help people to access mental health and wellbeing support more quickly and closer to home. 
  • Reframe – Diverse Images for Healthcare. Shortlisted for two HSJ Awards: the Innovation and Improvement in Reducing Healthcare Inequalities Award and the NHS Race Equality Award. A pioneering project aimed at increasing the visual representation of marginalised groups in healthcare imagery. Developed in partnership by NHS England, the University of the West of England Bristol (UWE Bristol), and the Medical Illustration team at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), the Reframe image library features over 3,000 inclusive images. These visuals showcase a wide range of medical conditions across diverse skin tones, providing a vital resource for healthcare professionals, educators, and students to support more accurate diagnoses and improve health outcomes through increased diagnostic confidence and inclusivity. 

Jeff Farrar, Chair of NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, said:

“These initiatives are powerful examples of how partners across our health and care system – including the NHS, social care and the voluntary sector – continue to work together to deliver joined-up, high-quality care for local people. This recognition reflects not just individual projects, but the ongoing commitment across our system to improve outcomes and support our communities. 

“Seeing these services acknowledged on a national stage is very welcome and a testament to the hard work and dedication of colleagues right across the system.” 

Now in its 45th year, the HSJ Awards celebrates outstanding achievements in health and social care, recognising teams and individuals who are driving innovation and improving patient outcomes. 

The annual awards highlight exceptional work and innovation in UK healthcare. This year’s HSJ awards attracted more than 1,250 entries from across the health sector, with only 245 projects and individuals – including the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire schemes – making it through to the final shortlist. 

All entries were assessed against five key criteria: ambition, outcome, spread, value, and stakeholder involvement.