NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and Portsmouth City Council are proud to announce that The Portsmouth Neurodiversity Service has been shortlisted for the Early Intervention and Prevention for Children, Young People and Families Award at the prestigious 2025 HSJ Awards. This recognition highlights the exceptional work and innovation demonstrated by the team and a testament to NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Portsmouth City Council’s dedication to driving healthcare excellence.
This year’s awards attracted more than 1,250 entries from across the health sector. With only 245 projects and individuals making it through to the final shortlist, the competition has been incredibly tough, demonstrating the impressive scale of talent, commitment, and impact across the NHS and wider healthcare landscape.
The Portsmouth Neurodiversity Multi-Disciplinary Team were shortlisted following a rigorous judging process and has been recognised as a standout example of excellence in healthcare delivery.
The 2025 awards judging panel was once again made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, including; Matthew Style, Director General, Secondary Care and Integration, Department of Health & Social Care, Mark Cubbon, Chief Executive Officer, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, NHS England as well as a range of esteemed Chief Executives from NHS Trusts across the UK.
The Portsmouth Neurodiversity Service is transforming how neurodivergent children and young people are supported focusing on early intervention and needs-led help. The service was co-produced with parents, carers, and young people, and the profiling tool they developed enables families and professionals to understand a child’s needs so that tailored support can be provided at an early stage.
With over 1,500 professionals trained across schools, nurseries, health and social care, a digital platform with accessible resources, and peer support, the service is delivering measurable improvements for families. The service is also influencing change nationwide with more than 40 integrated care boards and 50 local authorities engaging with the approach.
Claire Mason, Service Manager for the Portsmouth Neurodiversity Team, says: “Being shortlisted for the Early Intervention and Prevention for Children, Young People and Families Award at the HSJ Awards 2025 is an incredible honour and a real testament to the dedication of our team and the families we work alongside. The Portsmouth Neurodiversity Service was built on the belief that every child’s needs should be understood and supported without delay.
“To be recognised amongst so many outstanding initiatives is already hugely rewarding. This nomination celebrates the power of co-production and early intervention. We’re proud to be showing what’s possible when families and professionals work together for better outcomes.”
HSJ Editor, Alastair McLellan, commented: “On behalf of all my colleagues, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate The Portsmouth Neurodiversity Multi-Disciplinary Team on being shortlisted as a finalist in the category of Early Intervention and Prevention for Children, Young People and Families Award. All of the applications represent the ‘very best of the NHS’ and often leave our esteemed panel of judges with an impossible choice!
“Year on year the number of entrants continue to rise which I find so encouraging and is testament to the effect that HSJ Awards can have on improved staff culture and morale.
“We’re all very much looking forward to welcoming our finalists to the awards ceremony in November, celebrating their impressive achievements and jointly acknowledging our values of sharing best practice, improving patient outcomes and continuously driving for better service. But we never forget that the award ceremony is not just a celebration within a night, but a platform to recognise the hard work of all our NHS staff, all year round.”
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 20th November 2025 at Evolution London. The event celebrates excellence in healthcare, promotes best practice, and recognises the people and projects improving outcomes for patients nationwide.
For more details on the 2025 HSJ Awards shortlist, visit https://awards.hsj.co.uk/
To learn more about our partners, visit https://awards.hsj.co.uk/partners