News

We came together on Thursday 24 September at the Connaught Rooms in central London for our O.S.C.A.R.S Staff Awards 2026 to celebrate the incredible people and teams who make a difference every day for service users, carers, communities and colleagues across north London. The annual awards recognise the hard work, dedication, innovation and leadership of staff across North London NHS Foundation Trust and provide an opportunity to celebrate achievements from every part of the organisation. 

The evening brought together finalists, senior leaders, governors and guests from across the Trust for a night of recognition and celebration. The event was hosted by Hanif Malik OBE, an advocate for inclusion and community engagement, as colleagues and teams were recognised for their outstanding contributions and commitment. 

 Our Chief Executive, Jinjer Kandola MBE, said: 

 “Our staff work tirelessly every day to provide high-quality, compassionate care and support to the people and communities we serve in north London. The O.S.C.A.R.S are an opportunity to recognise the exceptional contribution they make and celebrate the values at the heart of our Trust. Congratulations to all our winners, finalists and highly commended colleagues. You should be incredibly proud of your achievements.” 

 Our Chair, Lena Samuels, who also joined us at the event, said: 

 “It was fantastic to come together and celebrate the incredible people behind our services. The awards highlight the kindness, passion and commitment that is lived across every part of our organisation, and it was wonderful to see colleagues recognising and thanking one another for the difference they make every day.” 

Winners and highly commended colleagues 

Congratulations to all this year's winners and highly commended colleagues. 

This year's awards recognised excellence across nine categories, celebrating colleagues and teams who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, inclusion, compassion and commitment to delivering high-quality care. Among the evening's winners was Dr Joanne Stubley, who received the Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Award, one of the most special categories at the O.S.C.A.R.S because it is nominated directly by people who use our services. 

Service users recognise staff member who goes the extra mile 

A staff member who has helped shape trauma services through compassion, partnership and a commitment to listening to people with lived experience has been recognised with this year's Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Award. 

The GEM Award is one of the most special categories at the O.S.C.A.R.S Staff Awards because nominations come directly from the people who use our services. It recognises a staff member who treats people with dignity, respect and kindness, works in partnership with carers and other services, and has made a positive difference to someone's recovery. 

This year's winner, Jo Stubley (photographed below), was nominated by several service users who highlighted the impact she has had both on their individual recovery journeys and on improving services for others. 

She was praised for her work leading the Trauma Service User Panel, creating opportunities for people with lived experience of trauma to influence service development and ensuring their feedback leads to meaningful change. 

One nominator spoke about the way Jo helps people regain confidence and a sense of control after experiencing trauma, describing her as someone who creates spaces where people feel heard and able to influence decisions that affect them. Others highlighted the support she provided outside of direct clinical work, including helping people navigate difficult situations and advocating on their behalf when it mattered most. 

Receiving a nomination from a service user is a powerful recognition of the difference staff can make through kindness, empathy and person-centred care. The stories submitted for this year's GEM Award were a reminder of the lasting impact our staff have on people's lives every day. 

The GEM Award highlights the extraordinary impact that compassion, kindness and partnership can have on people's lives. Congratulations to Jo and to all of this year's O.S.C.A.R.S winners and highly commended colleagues, whose dedication continues to make a difference across north London every day.