DAISY award
The DAISY awards are part of the DAISY foundation, an American charitable organisation established in 1999 by the Barnes family. The aim of the DAISY foundation is to recognise extraordinary nurses from all over the world. The first Leeds Teaching Hospitals DAISY award ceremony was held in 2020. The name DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem.
Any member of staff who is a registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council can be nominated for a DAISY award.
Staff members who are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council include nurses, midwives and nurse associates.
IRIS award
The IRIS award is a Leeds Teaching Hospitals award that was established following the success of the DAISY awards. The IRIS award aims to honour the hard work of every member of staff who is not an NMC registrant. Similar to DAISY, IRIS is an acronym for Inclusive Recognition of Inspirational Staff.
Examples of staff members eligible for an IRIS award:
- Ward clerk
- Porter
- Doctor of any grade or speciality
- Allied health professional, like a physiotherapist, dietician, radiographer
- Volunteer
Trainee nurse associates are eligible for an IRIS award. Other student health care professionals like student nurses, midwives or medical students can be nominated, but are not eligible to receive a DAISY or IRIS award. See our FAQ section at the bottom of the page for more information.
How to nominate
Nominations can be submitted online or on paper through the post.
Online nominations
There are posters around the Trust with QR codes that can be scanned. Nominations for both DAISY and IRIS awards are submitted through TypeForm. Follow the links below to make a nomination:
Nominations through the post
Self addressed paper nomination forms for both DAISY and IRIS awards are available at reception desks in our hospitals.
Contact Us
Queries about the DAISY award can be emailed to [email protected]
Queries about the IRIS award can be emailed to [email protected]
The professional practice standards and safety team coordinate both awards and can be contacted for posters, self addressed leaflets and support. They are located at Level 2, Trust Headquarters, St James’s University Hospital.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I nominate a student?
Student health care professionals like nurses, midwives, dental or medical students can be nominated for DAISY or IRIS awards. Their nominations will be recognised and the individual nominated will be contacted. However, as they are not contracted members of staff in the hospital they can not be considered for a full award.
I don’t know the full name or job title of the staff member I want to nominate, can I still nominate them?
Yes. A nomination can be made even if there’s information missing. Give as much detail as possible in the rest of the nomination, like where the staff member works and what kind of work they were doing. The DAISY and IRIS co-ordinators can use this information to ensure the nomination goes to the right place. If you are unsure if the staff member would be eligible for a DAISY or an IRIS, refer to the criteria at the top of the page.
I nominated a staff member for the wrong award, is it going to be ignored?
No. All nominations are considered. The DAISY and IRIS co-ordinators check job roles and eligibility for all nominees, and will ensure that each one gets the right kind of recognition.
What happens once I have sent my nomination? Will I get updates?
Once the DAISY and IRIS coordinators receive a nomination, it is processed and scored against set criteria. Higher scoring nominations will be considered for winning. Nominators will be contacted in the event of their nominator winning an award, to ask if they would like to join in with the ceremony. All nominations are recognised, and the person nominated will be contacted.
Do I have to leave contact information? What if I prefer to submit my nomination anonymously?
Nominators are in no way obliged to give their information when making a nomination for a staff member. If you do not wish to be contacted, please say “no” when prompted, and do not give your contact information.