London Ambulance Service has been shortlisted in this year’s HSJ Awards for two initiatives which help improve patient care and benefit the wider NHS in London.
Following a thorough judging process, LAS is through to the final stage for this year’s Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards in two categories.
This includes an innovative model that allows advanced paramedics to prescribe medicines in people’s homes, with electronic prescriptions transmitted directly to community pharmacies.
The initiative supports treatment closer to home, improves patient experience, reduces avoidable emergency department attendances, and helps alleviate pressure across urgent and emergency care.
This has been shortlisted in the ‘Medicines, Pharmacy and Prescribing Initiative of the Year’ award category.
Separately, a project to ensure that sickle cell patients receive faster care by being taken directly to specialist units rather than emergency departments has been shortlisted in the category, ‘Excellence in Narrowing the Health Inequalities Gap’.
This follows a wider action plan developed by the Service to improve care for patients living with sickle cell disease and tackle health inequalities affecting communities across the capital.
Dr Fenella Wrigley, Chief Medical Officer at London Ambulance Service, said:
“A huge congratulations to the teams who have made it through to the final.
“We are very proud of everyone who has been nominated for these awards. They have worked incredibly hard to provide the very best care for Londoners when they need us.
“We continue to adapt to how we treat Londoners as the needs of the population changes and with the ever-increasing demand on our services.
“These projects really highlight how our crews are providing more specialist care than ever before with a real focus on health inequalities.”
Over 1,300 entries have been received for this year’s Awards, with 231 projects and individuals reaching the final shortlist.
HSJ editor Alastair McLellan, adds; “It always gives me great pleasure to congratulate our finalists at this stage of the judging process and this year is no exception as we acknowledge London Ambulance Service for being shortlisted.
“However, it’s always important to remember that the HSJ Awards are not just a celebration of success stories but also a platform to shape the future of the NHS.
“We can’t wait to welcome London Ambulance Service to the awards ceremony in November and recognise and applaud such impressive achievements across the sector.”
The awards judging panel has been made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, as well as a range of esteemed board level executives from NHS trusts across the UK.
Winners will be revealed at the HSJ Awards ceremony on Thursday 19 November 2026 at Battersea Evolution in London.