The Public Finance Awards' most prestigious prize, the Grand Prix, was secured by the procurement department of Warrington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust at last night's ceremony.
The Grand Prix winner coordinated a ground-breaking procurement programme that delivered a new £6m hospital ward in record time, amid the turbulent and uncertain backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new ward was planned, constructed, equipped and opened in just six weeks, resulting in a 50-bed capacity increase while enabling critical medical operations to go ahead.
From procurement to pensions, the nominees and winners of this year's awards were exceptionally diverse. Winners on the night included the finance service of Surrey County Council for developing and implementing a Finance Academy, the finance team at Monmouthshire Housing Association who won local services team of the year and Stephen Sutcliffe, Director of Finance and Accounting at NHS Shared Business Services who was named COVID-19 finance leader of the year.
NHS organisations were strongly represented this year across all categories, recognised with six nominations in categories alongside the health finance team of the year.
CIPFA President Mike Driver said: "The overwhelming theme that characterised this year's shortlisted nominees was their hard work, innovation and dedication to pushing boundaries within their professions. The judging panel was inspired by the incredible projects happening across the public sector and the motivated public finance professionals driving them forward.
"The NHS also performed remarkably over the past 24 months whilst facing its biggest challenge in a generation, and the high number of strong NHS nominations are a testament to the people who have kept it running."
Notes to the editor
The full list of winners for the 2020 Public Finance Awards can be found here.
The annual awards ceremony, hosted by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Public Finance Magazine, celebrates the people, organisations and services that display excellence and originality in public finance and governance from across the UK.
About CIPFA
CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, is the professional body for people in public finance. CIPFA shows the way in public finance globally, standing up for sound public financial management and good governance around the world as the leading commentator on managing and accounting for public money.