2023 Awards Review - Proud Moment ??

The last time I checked, Chris Rock had yet to accept my connection request on LinkedIn, and, therefore, I can only assume that the majority of people reading this blog actually do enjoy the glitz and glamour that comes with award ceremonies. However, whilst we are highly unlikely to ever rub shoulders with (or feel the force of an open palm from) Hollywood’s finest, we are afforded the opportunity to celebrate our professional achievements at multiple industry awards across the year.

At GovNet, I’m pleased to say that our teams continue to excel, and this has been recognised by various judging panels comprised of leading event professionals over recent months. In March, we dusted off our dinner jackets and gowns and headed to the ExCeL London for the EN Awards, where we were shortlisted in three categories – Best Brand Expansion (Healthcare Excellence Through Technology), Best Newcomer (Rachel Crisp) and Best Tradeshow Marketing Campaign (Schools & Academies Show). All three finalists deserved their place on the shortlist, which was reason enough to celebrate; however, HETT scooping the trophy was the icing on the cake (even better than the surprise performance from East 17).

Over the last year, our HETT team outperformed its targets. From one flagship conference in 2021, their portfolio now consists of five leading digital-health events, plus a comprehensive 365 content offering. The division’s revenue jumped by 140% year-on-year, whilst it is now the largest provider of digital content for face-to-face events across the sector - with subscriptions up by a third in 2022. Not only that, but the team launched multiple working groups to nurture macro-communities, and built relationships with key support mechanisms in the healthtech ecosystem to guarantee relevancy and quality - including AHSN Networks, Health Education England, NHS England.

Of the four new HETT events, the team is most proud of launching its own awards to celebrate the cutting edge of digital and healthtech innovation across the UK. It was a priority to build a platform to recognise champions of digital health innovation and highlights great stories of transformation - especially after the pandemic - and the HETT Unexpected Innovation Awards does just that. November’s event at The Tower Hotel in London saw comedian Phil Wang announce 14 winners, including Digital Health and Care Wales, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College London, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton and Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, and ORCHA. The submissions told fantastic stories of innovation, dedication and hard work, in a quest to deliver better public services and patient care.

In addition to the UIAs, we have seen some of our other divisions launch awards too, including The Public Sector Counter Fraud Awards, running alongside our Counter Fraud Conference (which itself won Best Development of an Existing Conference at the 2022 Conference & Events Awards). Meanwhile, we are looking forward to the National Schools Awards 2023 later this year, organised by our Schools & Academies Show team.

We have tried to be very careful about the awards we have launched - not just the industry they sit within but also the quantity. On one hand, it is positive to see a plethora of awards that recognise many of the unappreciated and diverse parts of society that were previously overlooked; however, we do need to be careful, as event organisers, that we don’t create so many that they lose their value.

Before introducing new events - whether that’s exhibitions, conferences, training courses or awards - we will always conduct extensive industry research to better understand the sector in question. Significant time will be spent exploring the current challenges, and studying what platforms are available to them to discuss best practice, learn and to celebrate excellence. We will only commit to launching new events if we believe they will truly add value to the communities they serve.

Would you like to join our award-winning team at GovNet? We offer industry-leading packages, including a huge range of benefits, plus flexible working and an emphasis on personal development. To view our latest vacancies, visit our careers website.?