Scottish Public Service Awards 2021

Winners are in bold.

THE CAMPBELL CHRISTIE PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM AWARD

An award for the team that best embodies the spirit of public service reform, showcasing the exceptional public sector of the future – working across departmental and organisational boundaries, placing the citizen at the centre of service delivery and working to tackle the causes of social ills, rather than solely the symptoms.

Shortlist

1. Independent Review of Adult Social Care, IRASC Team

2. Social Security Directorate and Social Security Scotland

3. Connecting Scotland

THE COMMUNICATIONS AWARD

An award that recognises an exceptional performance by a team in the delivery of a highly effective communications campaign, targeting either internal or external stakeholders/audiences.

Shortlist

1. Five Family Payments Campaign - Support For Families Who Need It Most, Social Security Scotland

2. Clear Masks for All, Deaf Action

3. Panel Member recruitment campaign, Children's Hearings Scotland

THE PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AWARD

An award recognising good practice in project, programme and portfolio management, open to any team or individual.

Shortlist

1. Delivering results – agile improvement in action, Scottish Legal Complaints Commission

2. HEPMA Implementation, NHSGGC 

3. Early Learning and Childcare Expansion to 1140 Hours, Improvement Service

THE COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS AWARD

Recognising a team or individual that has demonstrated exemplary commercial practice, achieving better outcomes for public bodies through contract negotiations and management, commercial policy development, smart procurement, best practice supplier management, or new models of delivery.  

Shortlist

1. Scottish Seafood Export Hubs, Food Standards Scotland

2. Care and Support Services Framework, Scotland Excel

3. Driving Daring and Innovation through Public and Private Sector Collaboration, The CivTech Programme

THE LEADERSHIP AWARD

An award open to any individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership. 

Shortlist

1. Leading Above and Beyond: securing the future of childminding in Scotland, Graeme McAlister and Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA)

2. Driving innovation to support people in extraordinary times, Trish Quinn, Scottish Government Digital

3. System Leadership Throughout the Pandemic, City of Glasgow College

THE DIGITAL PUBLIC SERVICES AWARD in association with Leidos

This award recognises the use of technology to deliver improvements in public services to the citizen.

Shortlist

1. Managed Service & Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, Just Checking

2. Immersive Experience Pod, North Lanarkshire Council

3. Near me, Technology Enabled Care Programme

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD in association with CalMac

This award recognises the work of public bodies in ensuring that the communities they serve are fully engaged in the development and delivery of public services in their area. This can range from engagement with communities in the development of policies to combat anti-social behaviour, collective approaches to regenerating disadvantaged communities or simply ensuring that communities feel that their voices and opinions are heard and valued by the public bodies which serve them. 

Shortlist

1. Glasgow's PRS Housing and Welfare Hub, Glasgow City Council

2. Shielding Programme, Scottish Government Shielding Division

3. Delivering for Communities, North Lanarkshire Council

CHAMPIONING GENDER EQUALITY AWARD

An award for an individual, team, group or network initiating and leading action to remove barriers and improve the working experience and engagement levels of employees.

Shortlist

1. Equality for All, South Lanarkshire College

2. Scottish Women’s Development Forum, Police Scotland

3. Championing Gender Equality in the Scottish Government Science Profession

VOLUNTARY SECTOR PARTNERSHIP AWARD in association with SCVO

Many public services in challenging environments are only possible by public bodies working in partnership with charities and third sector organisations. These services are often lifelines for vulnerable citizens who could otherwise go unnoticed and this award seeks to recognise those organisations working in partnership with the public sector to deliver a better Scotland.

Shortlist

1. Maximise! Project, Capital City Partnership, CHAI, Children 1st, NHS 

2. Partnerships for People, CFINE

3. The Love InC Project, Aberlour, Care Inspectorate, Celcis, Includem

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD in association with Aico 

The public sector has a vital role in helping Scotland reduce its carbon emissions, meet exacting climate change targets and achieve a more sustainable economy. The Green Agenda matters to us all and public services have shown by example that by implementing culture change such as designing flexible working practices,  putting in place efffective energy management schemes, moving towards low carbon build, encouraging circular procurement and through resilience planning, what innovation can really look like. This award will recognise how working together, the transition to a green and more sustainable economy benefits all.

Shortlist

1. Fife Council Sustainable Period Home Packs, Hey Girls

2. Going Green the D&A Way, Dundee and Angus College

3. Increasing climate literacy, to drive sustainable procurement, The Sustainable Procurement Policy Team

4. GCC - CFM Service Sustainability Award, Food for Life Served Here

THE COVID-19 AWARD

The pandemic and the associated health and economic crises are still being felt by the world community. In Scotland, the vaccination campaign has helped to break the link between cases and serious illness and death but large numbers of our public service workers are still focused on managing the pandemic and thinking about what a post-covid recovery looks like. This award will go to an individual or organisation that has worked innovatively and collaboratively on projects to manage the pandemic over the last 12 months.

Shortlist

1. Emergency Response: providing critical childcare and supporting vulnerable families during lockdown, Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA)

2. Helping Hands, North Lanarkshire Council in partnership with Agilisys

3. Scottish Parliament 2021 Election Under COVID-19, Scottish Government Elections Team

THE COLIN MAIR AWARD FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT in association with Improvement Service

An award that recognises a project or approach by an organisation or community based initiative that has brought together various strands of policy exploration and applied it to a local issue to make a real difference in terms of practical delivery, user experience or costs effectiveness.

Shortlist

1. Maximise! Project, Capital City Partnership, CHAI, Children 1st, NHS

2. Housing Domestic Abuse Policy, Dundee City Council

3. Vibrant Communities, East Ayrshire Council

THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Lifetime Achievement Award will recognise and promote individuals who have made a significant contribution to Scottish Public Service over a sustained period of time. 

The 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award went to the late Emma Ritch who was Executive Director at Engender.

Each category nomination requires three areas of information, as well as a title (which will be engraved on the trophy should you win):

- A brief summary (100 words)

- The measurable benefits that the individual, team or project has achieved and/or state the impact this has had beyond the immediate team, business area or department (300 words)

- A testimonial, which can be from a partner, colleague or service user to strengthen your nomination (150 words)

THE CAMPBELL CHRISTIE PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM AWARD

An award for the team that best embodies the spirit of public service reform, showcasing the exceptional public sector of the future – working across departmental and organisational boundaries, placing the citizen at the centre of service delivery and working to tackle the causes of social ills, rather than solely the symptoms .  The award criteria are:

- A team or project that have exhibited an ability to effectively collaborate across departments and organisations to provide better services

- A team or project who have engaged effectively with their services users and put the citizen at the centre of their approach

- A team or project who can exhibit how their approach has improved the efficient delivery of their service and/or project

THE COMMUNICATIONS AWARD

An award that recognises an exceptional performance by a team in the delivery of a highly effective communications campaign, targeting either internal or external stakeholders/audiences.

External campaigns should clearly demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency of delivery and be able to show how they have enhanced the reputation and user engagement of the organisation, or achieved a specific aim, i.e. behaviour change, awareness raising, etc. 

Internal campaigns should have resulted in high levels of staff engagement on the given issue.

THE PROJECT AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AWARD

An award recognising good practice in project, programme and portfolio management, open to any team or individual that can demonstrate:

- Best practice application of expert project management skills and techniques.

- Evidence of systematic oversight of the project/programme and clear appreciation of the customer supplier environment.

- Clarity about pre-agreed benefits and evidence of their delivery.

THE COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS AWARD

Recognising a team or individual that has demonstrated exemplary commercial practice, achieving better outcomes for public bodies through contract negotiations and management, commercial policy development, smart procurement, best practice supplier management, or new models of delivery.

THE LEADERSHIP AWARD

An award open to any individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership.  This would include:

- Setting compelling vision for future direction.

- Engaging people and developing their own and other capabilities.

- Managing effectively and delivering results.

THE DIGITAL PUBLIC SERVICES AWARD in association with Leidos

This award recognises the use of technology to deliver improvements in public services to the citizen.

This may include:

- The effective use of technology to improve service provision

- The effective use of technology in making a public service(s) more accessible to the citizen

- The effective use of technology to increase the operational efficiency or effectiveness of a public body

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD

This award recognises the work of public bodies in ensuring that the communities they serve are fully engaged in the development and delivery of public services in their area. This can range from engagement with communities in the development of policies to combat anti-social behaviour, collective approaches to regenerating disadvantaged communities or simply ensuring that communities feel that their voices and opinions are heard and valued by the public bodies which serve them.

CHAMPIONING GENDER EQUALITY AWARD

An award for an individual, team, group or network initiating and leading action to remove barriers and improve the working experience and engagement levels of employees, or demonstrating excellence in the delivery of services to all genders. Criteria:

- Acts as a role model or ally in championing gender equality

- Creates an inclusive culture by challenging gender inequalities/barriers/bias in the application of people management policies, for example inclusive recruitment, talent development, performance management, career development and promotion, or in customer service delivery.

- Takes steps to eliminate or reduce incidents of bullying, harassment or discrimination against employees or service users of all genders

- Leads positive actions or interventions to enable talented employees of all genders to realise their full potential

- Applies evidence and customer insight to tackle issues effectively to improve service user experience

- Can demonstrate positive outcomes arising from their interventions for individuals and the organisation

VOLUNTARY SECTOR PARTNERSHIP AWARD in association with SCVO

The delivery of many public services in challenging environments is only possible if the public sector and the third sector work together. These partnerships provide the day-to-day public services that support and care for people and communities throughout Scotland. And they are often lifelines for vulnerable citizens who could otherwise go unnoticed.

We are entering a new phase for public services with huge transformations taking place when resources are scarce.  It is essential that money is spent wisely, but people and communities need services that meet their needs and don’t just save money. Services need to shift the emphasis to prevention.

With innovative ideas and plenty of enthusiasm, it is possible for a project or partnership to make a significant impact. If you’re a public sector and third sector organisation delivering a service or a project that is making a big difference to people and communities, then this is the award for you.

The judges will be looking for clear evidence - facts and figures and real-life examples - of how the partnership has made a difference and supported and improved the lives of people and communities (this may include case studies and/or testimonials).

The underlying aim of the award is simply to recognise excellence. Each submission must indicate clearly to the judges the nature and scope of the challenge(s) faced. The judges will be looking for examples of excellent work with evidence of effective approaches which are supported by hard facts that demonstrate impact.

This award will recognise public and third sector organisations working in partnership to deliver better outcomes in public services. 

Nominations can be made by either of the partnership organisations or third sector organisations themselves or public sector organisations they are working with and by the people who are benefiting from the service.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD in association with Aico 

The public sector has a vital role in helping Scotland reduce its carbon emissions, meet exacting climate change targets and achieve a more sustainable economy. The Green Agenda matters to us all and public services have shown by example that by implementing culture change such as designing flexible working practices,  putting in place effective energy management schemes, moving towards low carbon build, encouraging circular procurement and through resilience planning, what innovation can really look like. This award will recognise how working together, the transition to a green and more sustainable economy benefits all.

THE COVID-19 AWARD

The pandemic and the associated health and economic crises are still being felt by the world community. In Scotland, the vaccination campaign has helped to break the link between cases and serious illness and death but large numbers of our public service workers are still focused on managing the pandemic and thinking about what a post-covid recovery looks like. This award will go to an individual or organisation that has worked innovatively and collaboratively on projects to manage the pandemic over the last 12 months.

THE COLIN MAIR AWARD FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT in association with Improvement Service

An award that recognises a project or approach by an organisation or community based initiative that has brought together various strands of policy exploration and applied it to a local issue to make a real difference in terms of practical delivery, user experience or costs effectiveness. Entries should be able to demonstrate how the application of good policy making has made a real practical difference to people’s lives.