2016 Awards: They’ll be the judge(s)

An eminent line-up of health journalists, influencers, experts and champions have now begun the difficult task of judging almost 300 verified entries and deciding the winners of the 2016 MJA Awards.

The presentations will take place at the Barber Surgeon’s Hall on June 23 — so be sure to save the date.

Under the new judging system, shortlists will be drawn up by a judging panel for each category and judges will then come together to discuss, debate and decide the winners.

The winner of the Outstanding Contribution award, which is sponsored by the NHS Confederation, will be decided by all judges.

The judging panels, in no particular order, are:

News Story for a general audience, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

Chair of the NHS Confederation and former health secretary, Stephen Dorrell; Jenny Hope, former health correspondent of the Daily Mail;  and Nick Samuels, director of policy communication and strategy at the Royal College of Physicians.

News story for a specialist audience, sponsored by Sanofi Genzyme:

Christine Hancock, director, C3 Collaborating for Health; BBC health editor Hugh Pym; and Ed Davies, a policy fellow at the Health Foundation.

Editor, sponsored by Roche:

John Lister, associate professor in journalism, and health journalism, Coventry University; Chris McLaughlin, and MJA award winner and former health editor Saga Magazine and Kaye McIntosh, editor of WI Life.

Feature story for a general audience, sponsored by Novo Nordisk: 

Lynn Faulds Wood, health campaigner, print and broadcast journalist; Clare Gerada, former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners and director of the Practitioners Health Programme;  public services editor, the Guardian, David Brindle; Mark Lefty, former deputy political editor, Independent on Sunday; and magazine and newspaper journalist June Walton.

Broadcast, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim:

Sky broadcaster Maxine Mawhinney; cardiologist and founder of Action on Sugar, Aseem Malhotra; and Richard Frediani programme editor, ITV News at 6.30pm

Case study, sponsored by Lilly:

Kate Wighton, research media officer at Imperial College London, formerly of the Daily Mail; Liz Vercoe, former editor BBC magazines;  Lindsay Nicholson, editorial director Good Housekeeping;  Daniel Reynolds, former Sky News reporter, and Director of Communications at NHS Providers; Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at the University of Exeter.

Science Explained, sponsored by Astellas:

Sile Lane, director of campaigns and policy, Sense about Science; Jo Revill, chief executive of Royal Society for Immunology; and David Bender, Emeritus Professor of of Nutritional Biochemistry at UCL

Blogger:

TV medic Dawn Harper; Michele Simmons, editorial consultant and chair of the Guild of Health Writers; and Peter Carter OBE, former chief executive Royal College of Nursing.

Feature story for a specialist audience: 

Professor Vivienne Nathanson, director of professional activities at the BMA; Clare Ryan, senior media officer, Wellcome Trust; James Cave, editor in chief, Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin;  and John Brewer, head of applied sport science at St Mary’s Unversity, Twickenham.

Mental health story of the year: 

Professor Sir Simon Wessely, president, Royal College of Psychiatrists; Marjorie Wallace OBE, chief executive SANE;  and Helen Feger, director of communications, West London Mental Health NHS Trust.

Carole Stone, author and broadcaster; Kate Sidwell, communications consultant not-for-profit organisations; and John Clare, author and communications consultant.

Website:

Taylor Anderson, editor of Net Doctor; Rachel Maybank, associate director of University College London Hospital communications unit; and Kristen Hallam,  deputy team leader, European Health, Bloomberg News, and Association of Health Care Journalists.

Newcomer:

Kaye McIntosh, editor of WI Life; John Lister, associate professor in journalism, and health journalism, Coventry University; and Chris McLaughlin, and MJA award winner and former health editor Saga Magazine.

Carole Stone, author and broadcaster; Kate Sidwell, communications consultant not-for-profit organisations; and John Clare, author and communications consultant.