They’ll be the judges…

BBC news anchor Maxine Mawhinney is one of the high profile journalists and health experts who will help judge this year’s MJA Awards.

She is joined by leading journalists including former Daily Mail health correspondent and Fleet Street legend, Jenny Hope; author, science journalist, broadcaster and director of external affairs at the Science Museum Group, Roger Highfield; David Brindle, the public services editor of the Guardian, and Richard Frediani, editor of the ITN Evening News.

Our judging panel also includes cardiologist, researcher and media medic Aseem Malhotra; Dr Asiya Yunus, medical director of the London Local Medical Committees; from the charity sector we have Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind; Marjorie Wallace, the chief executive of SANE and Emily Jesper, head of partnerships at Sense About Science.

Communications professionals include Kate Wighton, the former Sun and Daily Mail health writer who is now research media officer at Imperial College in London; Steve Palmer, head of communications at the Wellcome Sanger Trust; Nick Samuels, director of policy communications and strategy at the Royal College of Physicians and Kate Sidwell a communications consultant who works with not-for-profit organisations.

Returning judges include the broadcaster and campaigner Lynn Faulds Wood; Vivienne Nathanson, director of professional activities at the BMA and Liz Vercoe, former associate editor of the Sunday Mirror magazine.

There will be three phases to the judging process. The judging panel for each award will look at all the entries in that category and rank their top three or five — depending on the number of entries. Judges are asked to consider a number of elements including how well the journalist has told the story for their particular audience.

The results of this first round of judging will be tabulated to create a short-list of entries and the winner will be chosen when judges meet to discuss, debate and deliberate on the judging day.Each judging panel will also have the opportunity to commend particularly strong short-listed entries and to put the winner of their category forward for the Outstanding Contribution Award. This final phase of the decision-making process will be completed in the week following the judging day, when the entire judging panel will have the opportunity to cast their vote for the ultimate winner.

Don’t forget, entries close on March 22. Click here for more information and online entry

With thanks to our Awards’ sponsors