The 2026 Hertfordshire Care Awards – Nominations now open!
Nominations for the Hertfordshire Care Awards 2026 are now open.
Please see below for the 9 categories. If you would like to nominate, simply click the box of the required category and download the nomination form.
The awards are open to all Hertfordshire providers to nominate into. Partners of HCPA such as the Local Authority, NHS or others may also nominate your organisation.
We cannot wait to receive your nominations!
If you have any questions regarding the Hertfordshire Care Awards please contact events@hcpa.co.uk
For up-to-date news and alerts on the Hertfordshire Care Awards please follow us @hcpaltd
Wishing you the best of luck!
Outstanding Achievement in Homecare
For individual homecare staff who have made a difference and have tailored care specifically for an individual. There must be evidence of great ideas and innovation.
The Compassion Award for Residential Care
For an individual who works in a residential or nursing home setting and has shown outstanding compassion.
Outstanding Achievement in Adult Disability or Mental Health Support
For an individual who works day-to-day supporting a person, or people who live with a learning disability or need mental health support. There must be evidence of great ideas and innovation.
The Care Leadership Award
For a care employee in a leadership position who has proved to be an excellent leader, coach and support to others.
The Contribution to Care Award
Open to anyone who you think has made an outstanding achievement in supporting or caring for others in a care setting. Domestic Staff, Kitchen Staff, Volunteers, Handymen, Care – Co-ordinators, Care Staff, whole teams or a business. Anyone can be nominated.
Residential Care Team of the Year
A whole residential, nursing or other care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Adult Disability or Mental Health Support Team of the Year
A whole care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Homecare Team of the Year
A whole domiciliary care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
The Care Culture Award
Open to all providers this award is reflecting the outstanding culture within any care organisation. It has been identified that the culture of a care company is the basis of everything, from safety to care, compassion and success. The winner of this award will have an outstanding care culture within.
Outstanding Achievement in Homecare
This award is for individual Homecare staff members who have made a difference and have tailored care specifically for an individual. There must be evidence of great ideas and innovation.
Criteria:
- This individual has made a difference within an organisation and evidence from others supports this.
- They have tailored care specifically for an individual and improved their life quality.
- They are innovative, caring and compassionate.
The Compassion Award for Residential Care
For an individual who works in a residential or nursing home setting and has shown outstanding compassion
Criteria:
- This individual is committed, communicates well, is competent and courageous. Their care reflects this.
- They are flexible and deliver care to meet individual needs.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about their compassionate and personalised care.
Outstanding Achievement in Adult Disability or Mental Health Support
For an individual who works day-to-day supporting a person, or people who live with a learning disability or need mental health support. There must be evidence of great ideas and innovation.
Criteria:
- This individual is committed, communicates well, is competent and courageous. Their care reflects this.
- They are flexible and deliver care to meet individual learning disability needs.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about their outstanding and personalised care.
The Care Leadership Award
For a care employee in a leadership position who has proved to be an excellent leader, coach and support to others.
Criteria:
- This leader engages fully in leadership training.
- Motivates staff and coaches them to achieve identifiable outcomes for service users.
- Is self-motivated in promoting their ‘can-do’ attitude to everyone else.
The Contribution to Care Award
Open to anyone who you think has made an outstanding achievement in supporting or caring for others in a care setting. Domestic Staff, Kitchen Staff, Volunteers, Handymen, Care – Co-ordinators, Care Staff, whole teams or a business. Anyone can be nominated.
Criteria:
- This individual is committed, communicates well and is caring, and the way they deal with users of services reflects this.
- They are flexible and deliver their work or support to meet individual needs.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about their compassionate and outstanding way of supporting users of services.
Residential Care Team of the Year
A whole residential, nursing or other care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Criteria:
- This team meet regularly to share best practice and implement it.
- The teamwork in partnership to create clear wellbeing outcomes for service users: This includes utilising specialist training.
- Specific innovative ideas have been implemented by the team that have made a difference.
Adult Disability or Mental Health Support Team of the Year
A whole care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Criteria:
- This team meet regularly to share best practice and implement it.
- The teamwork in partnership to create clear wellbeing outcomes for service users: This includes utilising specialist training.
- Specific innovative ideas have been implemented by the team that have made a difference.
Homecare Team of the Year
A whole domiciliary care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Criteria:
- This team meet regularly to share best practice and implement it.
- The teamwork in partnership to create clear wellbeing outcomes for service users: This includes utilising specialist training.
- Specific innovative ideas have been implemented by the team that have made a difference.
The Care Culture Award
Open to all providers this award is reflecting the outstanding culture within any care organisation. It has been identified that the culture of a care company is the basis of everything, from safety to care, compassion and success. The winner of this award will have an outstanding care culture within.
Criteria:
- Change, improvement and innovation is driven by the entire staff team, families and clients and not just senior leaders or managers.
- Staff have fed back about the supportive, dynamic and learning culture of the organisation.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about the compassionate and outstanding way the organisation supports individuals because of their unique culture.