Care Awards 2026

Terms & Conditions of Nomination Entries

Eligibility

• Open to direct employers, organisations and sole traders operating in the public, private or voluntary sectors, regardless of service user group or organisation size (unless stated otherwise within a category).
• Submissions will only be accepted for the specified award categories.

Submission Requirements

• Nominations must be between 200–500 words (maximum two sides of A4, minimum font size 11pt).
• Submissions under 200 words will not be considered.
• Supporting information (maximum two documents) must not exceed one side of A4 each, where requested.
• Any content exceeding these limits will not be considered.
• Entry is free of charge.
• A separate nomination form must be completed for each category.
• Nominations must be submitted using the official nomination form only.
• The form must be signed and include confirmation (tick box) accepting these Terms & Conditions.
• Incomplete applications may be excluded.

Deadlines

• Nominations must be submitted by the deadline stated in the official Care Awards marketing materials.

Shortlisting & Judging

• Up to three finalists per category (including one winner) will be selected by an independent Judging Panel.
• Where a high volume of entries is received, ESPIC and the Judging Panel reserve the right to increase the number of finalists.
• Finalists will be assessed against the published judging criteria.
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Awards & Recognition

• The winner will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and will receive a trophy and certificate.
• Highly Commended finalists will receive a framed certificate and may reference this in corporate literature (but must not imply endorsement by ESPIC).

Awards Ceremonies

• Brighton & Hove: DoubleTree by Hilton Metropole Hotel, Thursday 17 September 2026, from 6:30pm
• East Sussex: East Sussex National Golf & Spa Centre, Thursday 19 November 2026, from 6:30pm
• All attendees must purchase a ticket.
• Finalists (up to three per category) will receive one complimentary place.

Conditions of Entry

• Nominees must be willing to attend the ceremony (or nominate a representative) and consent to use of their name and images for publicity.
• Any nominee subject to complaint, investigation or disciplinary action (past or present) must declare this at application stage.
• This does not automatically result in disqualification and will be considered case-by-case.
• Any changes in status after submission must be reported to ESPIC immediately.
• Services rated Inadequate or Requires Improvement by CQC may be subject to discretionary review by the CEO and Judging Panel.
• The Judging Panel reserves the right to disqualify any entry deemed to breach the criteria.
• ESPIC and the Judging Panel reserve the right to amend or make decisions relating to the awards process at any time.

Data Protection

• By submitting a nomination, you agree that ESPIC may process personal data for the purposes of administering the Care Awards.
• Personal data will be handled in accordance with the ESPIC Privacy Policy.

Liability

• No liability shall attach to the promoters in relation to nominations or participation in the Care Awards.

General

• The promoters are ESPIC (including BHPIC).
• No purchase or contractual relationship is required to nominate or be nominated.
• The latest version of these Terms & Conditions will be available on the ESPIC website.
• If you have not heard from ESPIC within one month of the nomination closing date, please assume your nomination has been unsuccessful.

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Mike Derrick
Chair, East Sussex Partners in Care

Elizabeth Mackie
CEO, East Sussex Partners in Care

April 2026