Box 2. A comparison of Clinical Excellence Awards and National Clinical Impact Awards.

Clinical Excellence AwardsAwarded on 12 levels: eight local and three national (bronze level awarded locally and nationally)Renewal after 4/5 years. In the 2019/2020 rounds, 84% of CEA renewals were re-awarded at the same or different levels 17 Per annum, 300 awards (post-2010)Value of silver, gold, platinum awards higher. Awards paid on a full-time equivalent basisAssessed on five domains: (1) service delivery, (2) service development, (3) leadership, (4) research and innovation, and (5) teaching and training 13

National Clinical Impact AwardsAwarded on 11 levels: bronze awards abolishedRenewal abolished. Re-application after five yearsPer annum, 600 awardsValue of silver, gold and platinum awards reduced. Awards to be paid in full whether or not the holder works full time.Assessed on five domains: (1) developing and delivering service, (2) leadership, (3) education, training and people development, (4) innovation and research, and (5) nationally or internationally recognised quality improvement.To address ethnicity, gender and other gaps, NCIA scheme will ‘more closely monitor applications and improve reporting mechanisms’