The Care Quality Commission's Gambling Harms Team has won the Collaborative Practice Award at the Institute of Regulation Awards, for a pioneering assessment framework built to assess treatments which sit entirely outside the regulator's normal remit.
The awards, now in their second year, recognise excellence across the categories of innovation, collaborative practice and rising star.
The CQC team was commissioned by GambleAware and the Gambling Commission to deliver an assessment of gambling harm treatment services within the National Gambling Support Network, made up of 14 services provided mainly by the voluntary sector to some of the most vulnerable people in society. The team faced the challenge of building a credible, effective framework from the ground up, with no existing regulatory infrastructure to draw on.
To do this, they established an external advisory group bringing together frontline staff, service managers, clinicians, commissioners, lived experience representatives and partner organisations across the sector. This co-production process not only strengthened the accuracy and relevance of the framework but also, according to the team's submission for the award, "fostered a sense of shared ownership and trust" across a sector that had not previously been subject to formal assessment.
This collaborative approach continued into the delivery phase, as the team worked closely with service providers throughout assessments, and engaged with organisations delivering training, research and public health interventions to build shared learning and improve sector-wide understanding of gambling harms.
CQC chief executive Arun Chopra said the award was "a tribute to what becomes possible when we bring people together across sectors, organisations, and with those using services, focused on a shared purpose".
He added: "By combining our strengths, challenging traditional boundaries, and working creatively, we proved that the art of the possible is far greater when we collaborate. I'm incredibly proud of what has been achieved."
The Innovation Award went to the intelligence team at the Office for Environmental Protection, which built a fully functioning, organisation-wide intelligence capability bringing together horizon-scanning and records management in just 18 months.
The platform has changed how information is created, shared and used across the regulator, creating what the team describes as a“transparent, auditable corporate memory” rather than relying on individual knowledge to inform decisions and monitor risks. Weekly all-staff intelligence reports are produced to support forward planning and enable rapid responses to new developments, while the database allows the team to produce highly-informed briefings at short notice.
The team also provides relevant intelligence to equivalent organisations in Scotland and Wales, and has supported 24 other public bodies to build similar capabilities, through remote and in-person training on the team's methodology.
Head of intelligence Nicola Edwards, who accepted the award on behalf of the team, said the recognition was "especially meaningful" for an organisation of just over 80 staff. "With a small team but great support from our leadership, we built our intelligence system and function in just over a year," she said.
"It now ensures the organisation is well informed across multiple sectors, with information easily accessible to all our staff. At a time when regulatory reform is centred on supporting growth, it shows that we can innovate and deliver at pace while strengthening environmental protection and public trust."
The Rising Star Award was claimed by Eilidh Byer of the North Sea Transition Authority, in recognition of her work developing innovative digital tools and data solutions to support timely and cost-effective offshore decommissioning.
Byer has been instrumental in a series of projects that have given industry greater visibility of technical data and activity planning, informing decommissioning schedules and helping to drive more cost-efficient approaches across the sector.
Beyond her technical contributions, Byer has played a wider role within her team – coaching colleagues in data and analytical skills, and demonstrating an ability to lead and influence others on projects that link directly to the NSTA's strategic objectives.
Byer said she was "incredibly grateful" for the recognition and thanked her colleagues at the NSTA for their "ongoing support and guidance".
She added: "It is a real privilege to work in the energy sector, and to play a role in the vital work of decommissioning and helping to maintain the North Sea's position as a cornerstone of the UK's energy security and drive to reach net zero."
The award was sponsored by Objective Corporation, whose global VP for regulatory solutions, Kirsty Mills, said it was designed to celebrate "individuals making a real impact in regulatory practice and demonstrating leadership, innovation and influence early in their careers".