With just three weeks to go until our glittering 2026 MJA Awards ceremony, it’s time to share some more details of our fantastic finalists.
The full shortlist for this year has been announced but we thought it was worth spending some time celebrating our categories in more detail.
Our features awards attract a high number of entries and making it on to our list of finalists is a serious achievement.
As with news, we have three awards for features that have appeared in general, specialist and broadcast outlets.
And with such a high standard of entries, our panel of independent judges had a tricky time selecting a shortlist.
So first a quick reminder – the finalists in our Feature (broadcast) – supported by Blue Lozenge are:
Sharon Barbour, Rhoda Buchanan, Gail Champion, Joel Mapp, Mary O’Reilly
Hidden Scars: An NHS Scandal
BBC News
Sarah Corker, Martha Elwell, Lottie Kilraine, Lotti Norman
Toxic Legacy – Our Hidden Drug Scandal
The Tonight Programme, ITV 1
Dominic Hughes, Richard McIilroy, Jay Unger
NHS: Painful Decisions
BBC Radio 4
Our judges commented on “empathetic” investigative work, with very “human reporting” that set out to encourage conversations around “uncomfortable” issues.
For Feature (general audience), six pieces made the cut:
Hannah Barnes
Britain’s Next Maternity Scandal
The New Statesman
Tommy Greene
‘A doctor takes on the NHS – and its Liverpool law firm’
The Liverpool Post
Andrew Gregory
Exclusive: How the ‘confident authority’ of Google AI Overviews is putting public health at risk
The Guardian
James Tapper
The digital bridge that could help the paralysed walk again
The Observer
Rebecca Thomas, Laura Bundock, Rachel Lucas, Mark Thompson
Care watchdog slammed for ‘failing’ to take action at scandal-hit hospital before teen’s unlawful death
The Independent & Sky News
Marta Zaraska
Poison in the water: the town with the world’s worst case of forever chemicals contamination
The Guardian
Feedback from the judges said the journalists had uncovered “scandalous”, “alarming”, “appalling” and “catastrophic” stories. Outlining important topics from the failings of healthcare to exciting scientific developments with “thorough”, “well-researched” reporting.
Five finalists made it to the judges selection for Feature (specialist audience):
Claire Ainsworth
Body, heal thyself
New Scientist
Marianne Guenot
“It’s not about us anymore”: after the Le Scouarnec case
The Lancet
Jennifer Richardson, Sophie Borland, Brian Kennedy, Will Stahl-Timmins
Junk food “avoids advertising regulation” with top level UK sports sponsorship
bmj.com
Joanna Robertson
Could dedicated pharmacists help improve neonatal care’s medicines safety problem?
The Pharmaceutical Journal
Adele Waters
“Medical misogyny and ‘harrowing’ experiences: what are doctors doing to improve outpatient gynaecological procedures?
The BMJ
Full of praise, as ever, for our shortlist, the judges noted that pieces were “highly relevant”, with “fantastic analysis”. Inconsistency, missed opportunity, and failure to listen were among the themes presented in this “well written” selection.
Have a watch or read through our judges selection for the shortlist. Who would you select as the winner?
If you’re a finalist or MJA member, make sure you have RSVP’d for our awards ceremony on 22nd September to secure your place.
