Health · Healthcare & Policy · 4 hrs ago
Nursing Times Awards 2026 honour nurses and care teams
Professor Tonks Fawcett won the lifetime achievement award at the 2026 Nursing Times Awards in London.
Fawcett qualified as an adult nurse in 1976 and spent most of her career at the University of Edinburgh, becoming a professor after working there for four decades.
The awards recognised 26 winners from across nursing and care in the UK.
Susie Lagrata, a nurse practitioner at University College London Hospitals, was named Nurse of the Year for work developing nurse-led services and clinical care.
Barts Health NHS Trust’s adult critical care transfer service won Team of the Year, and judges said they wanted to see its work expanded nationally.
Other winners included Nikola Szymanska, recognised for improving nutrition and hydration for care home residents, and James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for a project using circus arts to involve groups in health research.
The awards highlight work in a health and social care system that the Nursing Times editor said is under pressure.
The Nursing Times Awards 2026 honoured 26 winners at a ceremony in London.
Susie Lagrata of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was named Nurse of the Year.
Professor Tonks Fawcett received the Chief Nursing Officers’ Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Barts Health NHS Trust’s adult critical care transfer service won Team of the Year.
The awards also recognised work in areas including social care, clinical research and nursing innovation.
- Who
- Nurses, care teams and organisations across the UK were recognised.
- What
- The Nursing Times Awards 2026 named 26 winners.
- When
- The ceremony took place on 29 October 2026.
- Where
- London.
- Why
- To recognise achievements and work led by nurses and their teams.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Tonks Fawcett qualified as an adult nurse.
Nikola Szymanska qualified as a nurse.
The Nursing Times Awards ceremony was held in London and 26 winners were celebrated.
- Award winners
- 26
- Nurse of the Year
- Susie Lagrata, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Lifetime achievement
- Professor Tonks Fawcett
- Team of the Year
- Barts Health NHS Trust adult critical care transfer service
- Rising Star Award
- Nikola Szymanska, HC-One
What people are saying
Congratulations to all our winners at the 2026 Nursing Times Awards.
Each year our judges are impressed, inspired and heartened by the great work being led by nurses and their teams around the UK, and this year is no exception.
The health and social care system is under pressure like never before, but nurses and other clinicians continue to rise to the many challenges.