Celebrating long service in a meaningful, inclusive and cost-effective way

Every day their efforts make a real difference - not only within NHS SCW, but also across the NHS and for the communities and populations we serve.

I’ve always understood the connection between our strategic ambitions and the role that that staff engagement, especially recognition, plays in bringing those priorities to life. Over the past few years, I’ve seen how much our recognition schemes have helped raise awareness and appreciation of the diverse work and incredible talent we have across NHS SCW.

Through this work, I’ve witnessed how meaningful recognition can make people feel genuinely valued. What’s been most powerful is realising that the positive impact hasn’t required large budgets or extravagant gestures. Simple, thoughtful recognition can make a real difference.

Leading this agenda has been a genuine pleasure because it’s truly a whole-organisation effort.

The recognition schemes at NHS SCW are shaped and brought to life by our people. The long-standing Hummingbird Awards and now our new long-service awards play a central role in celebrating achievements and milestones across NHS SCW. Being part of something that honours our colleagues in such an authentic way is a rewarding part of my role.

The story behind developing the long service awards

In 2024, we launched our first virtual long service awards as part of a wider reward and recognition improvement project. Staff feedback highlighted a strong desire for visible, meaningful recognition, including long service. We decided to take a virtual approach to the awards so that the team could celebrate colleagues at scale, inclusively and cost-effectively.

The first virtual ceremony on MS Teams brought together more than 800 colleagues from across the organisation - almost half of our workforce. The event had a very high attendance, and everyone who had joined had reached a significant service milestone, it was clear just how much long-service recognition means to our colleagues. Hosting the event online made it easier for us all to come together. With colleagues spread from Scotland to Cornwall, removing geographical barriers meant people from a wide range of roles and working patterns could take part and celebrate together.  

To make the virtual session feel personal and celebratory, the team designed an interactive meeting that included:

• Guest speakers sharing their NHS journeys and reflections.
• Live chat prompts encouraging colleagues to congratulate one another and share memories.
• A nostalgia quiz spanning 10, 20, 30 and 40 years of service (the milestones being recognised), featuring music and NHS themed questions.
• A suite of internally designed digital celebration materials, including a digital badge, a certificate, and a personalised thank‑you message from each manager sent to recipients.

To ensure colleagues were recognised for their full, continuous NHS service, the team used Electronic Staff Records (ESR) data to calculate length of service.

Communications were shared to encourage staff to check their ESR records, with a link to a form for anyone whose service dates appeared incorrect. This process enabled several colleagues to have their records updated where service from previous NHS organisations had not transferred accurately.

After the first celebration, the team gathered feedback through MS Forms. Building on the positive responses and helpful suggestions, the second annual virtual event in 2025 introduced several enhancements:

• A new five‑year milestone to acknowledge early‑career achievements.
• A wider range of colleague stories from different services and staff groups to increase relevance and representation.
• An improved music and hosting format to create a more engaging, 'event‑like' online experience.

"It was a good event and great to see that so many people attended, it shows that everyone likes a bit of recognition and to celebrate their loyal service to the NHS."

"Really enjoyed hearing people's career paths and feeling part of the NHS family which can be lost when working from home."

Delivering the long-service awards virtually created a celebration that was easy to join from any site or shift pattern, reducing barriers for dispersed services and parttime staff. Hosting the event on MS Teams comfortably allowed a large amount of attendees to join and enabled lively interaction through chat and polls. The virtual format also removed venue and travel costs and made use of reusable digital assets, offering a cost effective approach without compromising the experience.

"Really lovely, upbeat event. Thank you for all the hard work putting it together."

"Thank you so much for recognising all our hard work because this really does mean a lot to us all."

Top tips from the team

• Develop a clear delivery plan from the start, with agreed timelines and named leads for each task, ensuring all actions are covered.

• Hold regular check‑ins with the project team to maintain momentum and ensure all elements are on track.

• Build in interactive features to encourage colleagues to engage and feel included, such as opportunities to share memories or stories in the chat.
• Invite colleagues in advance to contribute personal stories and feature selected contributions during the event to strengthen connection and relevance.
• Incorporate uplifting music to enhance the celebratory atmosphere; testing audio in advance helps avoid technical issues.

Contact details

Heather Muldoon, head of organisational development, NHS SCW.