Together we advocate, grow, and inspire health leaders for better health outcomes for all in Aotearoa

The ACHSM – Aotearoa Silver Fern award recognises health services leadership and management excellence. Recipients will have accomplished in at least three of the following areas:

• Demonstrated Leadership excellence (including extraordinary events)
• Innovation in field of endeavour
• Commitment to professional and/or workforce development
• Achieved improved population or service outcomes
• Management of significant and complex change
• Significant contribution to evidence-based practice, policy and/or patient care outcomes

To nominate an ACHSM – Aotearoa member, please complete the nomination form and return it to ACHSM – Aotearoa National Council at aotearoa@achsm.org.au.

Nominations close at 5 pm on 1 June 2026.

The recipient will be announced at the ACHSM 2026 Congress, in Cairns, Queensland.

This award recognises the up-and-coming health leaders and managers of Aotearoa.

A successful nomination will provide the Emerging Leader with the opportunity for the following:

• A recognition certificate noting areas of competence
• And an opportunity for a  6-month period of mentoring with an ACHSM mentor
• Attendance at 2 ACHSM-A Journal clubs
• Attendance at 1 webinar

Criteria

1. The nominator must be an ACHSM-A member.
2. The nominee does not need to hold a formal health leadership or health management role
3. The nominee does not need to be an ACHSM-A member to be nominated.
4. The Nominee MUST:
   1. Contribute to a culturally safe environment, upholding principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the rights of Māori as Tangata whenua, and promoting equity, inclusion, diversity,
      AND
   2. Fulfil two Enabling Domains and two Action Domains of the ACHSM competency framework.

Enabling competencies reflect the personal attributes of a health manager and health leader. They are what differentiates healthcare leadership as a profession.
Action competencies contain those competencies relevant to the direct work of managers and leaders in their organisation.

Application process: Complete the nomination form or Video presentations and submit by the 1 June 2026.