The finalists have been announced for awards recognising the best innovators and researchers in health and care in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards is the only health awards event for the region, run by three NHS bodies focussed on research and innovation.

Hosted by the Innovation Agency; Clinical Research Network North West Coast (CRN NWC); and Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC) the event attracted around 180 entries.

A special category has been created this year to mark the 75th anniversary of the creation of the NHS – the Unsung Hero Award. The three finalists are: Sue Smith of One Wirral CIC; Dr Prathap Kanagala of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and Graham Copeland of C2-Ai.

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria are sponsoring two categories in the areas of sustainability and tackling health inequalities.

Twelve awards in total will showcase the best research and innovation from NHS organisations, industry and academic partners, third sector organisations, local authorities and other collaborators in health innovation.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 22 June at The Royal College of Physicians, The Spine in Liverpool.

The finalists are listed below. To find out more about their entries, visit https://www.nwcawards.co.uk/awards

Culture for Innovation Award
•Blum Health
•Marie Cure Hospice Liverpool
•Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Innovation in Workforce Development Award
•Health Education England NW; Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust; University of •Central Lancashire
•Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and ICE Creates
Talk It Out

Patient Safety and Care Improvement Award
•C2-Ai
•Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Innovation Agency

Research Student of the Year Award
•Allison Bentley, Lancaster University
•Molly McCarthy, Liverpool John Moores University
•Piotr Teodorowski, University of Liverpool

Ruth Young Award for Research Implementation
•Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
•Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
•University of Chester

Outstanding Contribution to Patient and Public Involvement Award
•Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist Perinatal Service
•Healthwatch Blackpool, BoingBoing Foundation, Citizens Advice Blackpool, Blackpool Council
•Lancaster University

Research Delivery Team of the Year Award
•Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Research Collaboration of the Year Award
•Healthwatch Blackpool, BoingBoing Foundation, Citizens Advice Blackpool, Blackpool Council
•Marine Lake Medical Practice and Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
•Lancaster University, University of Liverpool, The University of Chester, Edge Hill University, University of Central Lancashire, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Clinical Research Network North West Coast

Primary Care and/or Community Research Team of the Year Award
•Bay Medical Group
•Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria PCNs, University of Central Lancashire, Health Education England North West
•Lancaster Medical Practice

Unsung Hero: NHS 75th Anniversary Award
•Graham Copeland of C2-Ai
•Dr Prathap Kanagala of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•Sue Smith of One Wirral CIC

Tackling Health Inequalities Award
•Divine Days CIC
•Liverpool John Moores University; University of Liverpool; Edge Hill University
•Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sustainability Award
•Cheshire and Merseyside ICB
•Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Aintree University Hospital
•Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Broadgreen University Hospital