The Design in Mental Health Awards are considered nationally as the most prestigious Awards for the design and build community in mental healthcare.
They are presented at the annual Awards ceremony; an exciting occasion celebrating excellence and the latest innovations from those involved in the design, delivery, and management of therapeutic environments.
The judging committee comprises a panel of experts and community peers who have extensive experience within the NHS and Private Mental Health sector. They are looking for entries that embody exemplary design, community spirit and the very latest innovations in mental health.
Award Categories
Art Installation
of the Year
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
This award will recognise the outstanding art project of the year within a mental health environment, an installation that shows creativity and artistic vision, it can include technology and interactive elements, sculptural or any medium that has an art basis.
Criteria:
• Shows excellence in artistic vision
• Innovative in a therapeutic environment
• Visually interesting and create a sense of identity
• Demonstrates good integration into the project
• Commitment to good environmental practice and uses sustainable materials
• Collaborative works are accepted
Eligibility:
• The project should be completed and operational from January 2020 onwards.
Concept Product Innovation
of the Year
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
This award is for design concepts for new and innovative products.
Criteria:
The product should be:
• A new product not presently available
• An improvement on an existing product
• Should improve the environment for the service user and the clinicians
• Imaginative, creative, innovative and original
• Aesthetically appealing
• Robust, durable and safe
• Meet generally accepted anti-ligature requirements unless specifically developed for dementia
Eligibility:
The product should not be available on the market as of January 2023.
Low Cost – High Impact
Award
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
This award is for products or schemes, internal or external, which have been financially prudent but have had significant impact on improving patient care, wellbeing, safety and/or enhanced the healing environment
Criteria:
The entry should:
• be a product or scheme in mental health or learning disability services
• have had an overall budget less than £500k (ex VAT)
• have had an established benefit criterion for patients and services
• have showed ingenuity and innovation
• have improved the healing environment to a significant degree
• have showed patient involvement in either design, development or running
• address the principals put forward by the DIMHN
Project of the Year –
Refurbishment
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
Criteria:
• Innovative and creative project offering a therapeutic environment which enhances recovery
• Visually interesting and offering good, flexible use of space both internally and externally
• Demonstrates good integration into the surrounding landscape
• Is energy efficient and uses sustainable materials
• A team works well together exploring different solutions and can recognise and demonstrate the contributions of service users to the design process
Eligibility:
• The project can be either at design stage or have been completed and operational from January 2020 onwards.
• This award will recognise the outstanding project of the year, a project that demonstrates innovation, creativity and excellent team working.
• Projects submitted last year for this award but were unsuccessful may be resubmitted provided they became operational from January 2020 onwards.
Product Innovation
of the Year
ENTRY FEE – £150 +VAT PER ENTRY
The panel want to see new and innovative products which have been launched and used in a mental health setting from January 2020 onwards.
Criteria:
The product should:
• Be imaginative, creative, innovative and original
• Be aesthetically appealing
• Be robust, durable and safe
• Meet generally accepted anti-ligature requirements unless specifically developed for dementia
• Improve on previous design
Eligibility:
• The product should have been launched on the market from January 2020 onwards.
• It should have been in use in a mental health setting for a minimum of 6 months during that time
• Supporting evidence from at least one user of the product will be required
Service User Engagement
Award
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
The Service User Engagement Award highlights innovative and thoughtful engagement of service users’ in the design process. It shows how services users’ perspectives on the environment have been captured and their inclusion in the design process from consultation to completion.
The panel want to see the importance of providing a connection between service users and the people with the skill and knowledge to help them develop their own thinking and explore further options.
Criteria:
• Innovative and thoughtful engagement of service users.
• To see evidence of the importance of involving service users in the design process and the need for the service user group to be centric to the project structure
• Uniqueness of the work that has taken place within a mental health setting and what significant effect it has had on the design when involving service users
• How you have “designed in” problem solving approaches when involving service users in the design process
• The methodology of sharing and gathering of information
• How it allows the service user group to identify what they think are important components of an effective healthcare setting and design vision of new builds and environments
Project of the Year –
New Build (International)
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
Criteria:
• Innovative and creative project offering a therapeutic environment which enhances recovery
• Visually interesting and offering good, flexible use of space both internally and externally
• Demonstrates good integration into the surrounding landscape
• Is energy efficient and uses sustainable materials
• A team works well together exploring different solutions and can recognise and demonstrate the contributions of service users to the design process
Eligibility:
• The project can be either at design stage or have been completed and operational from January 2020 onwards.
• This award will recognise the outstanding project of the year, a project that demonstrates innovation, creativity and excellent team working.
• Projects submitted last year for this award but were unsuccessful may be resubmitted provided they became operational from January 2020 onwards.
Project of the Year –
New Build (UK)
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
Criteria:
• Innovative and creative project offering a therapeutic environment which enhances recovery
• Visually interesting and offering good, flexible use of space both internally and externally
• Demonstrates good integration into the surrounding landscape
• Is energy efficient and uses sustainable materials
• A team works well together exploring different solutions and can recognise and demonstrate the contributions of service users to the design process
Eligibility:
• The project can be either at design stage or have been completed and operational from January 2020 onwards.
• This award will recognise the outstanding project of the year, a project that demonstrates innovation, creativity and excellent team working.
• Projects submitted last year for this award but were unsuccessful may be resubmitted provided they became operational from January 2020 onwards.
Outside Space
of the Year
THIS AWARD IS FREE TO ENTER
Criteria:
This award has no limits in terms of the size or the function of an outside space within a mental health environment – it could be recreational, for therapy, education, contemplation and calming, or as part of the building design to be used in conjunction with the therapy and care taking place within the facility itself.
Your submission should be for an outside space already in place in a mental health environment, demonstrate the healing, therapeutic and care benefits of the outside space in question, the theory and process behind its design, creation and use, and the benefits to service users / stakeholders that it provides.
Eligibility:
The project should be completed and operational from January 2021 onwards.
Join us at the Ceremony
The Design in Mental Health Awards are free to attend, but you do need to register. Places are limited, so register early to avoid disapointment!
