Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust Celebrates Triple National Award Success In FOI And Cyber Security

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating a trio of national awards, highlighting the outstanding work of its Freedom of Information (FOI) Team and Joint Cyber Security Team.

The Trust picked up honours at the 2026 eCase FOI Awards and the Cyber Associates Network (CAN) Awards 2026, recognising excellence in transparency, information governance, and cyber resilience.

The FOI Team was named Team of the Year at the eCase FOI Awards, while Director of Information Governance and Cyber Security Assurance and Data Protection Officer, Sadie Bell, received a Highly Commended nod for Practitioner of the Year.

The awards, held on 4 March, celebrate innovation, leadership, and excellence in the UK’s public sector FOI community.

Inspectors praised the team for robust processes, innovative approaches, and collaborative working that strengthen access to information across the Trust.

Sadie Bell’s commendation recognised her leadership and impact, including supporting organisations under ICO enforcement notices to improve FOI compliance standards.

The Trust’s FOI achievements were also featured by the Information Commissioner’s Office in its March newsletter as a national case study in best practice.

Paula Anderson, Chief Finance Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, said:

"We are incredibly proud of our FOI Team and Sadie’s recognition.

"Their work not only upholds high standards at Trust level but also improves ways of working across the wider NHS system."

The Trust’s cyber teams also enjoyed success. At the CAN Awards 2026, the Joint Cyber Security Team received Highly Commended for Team of the Year, recognised for best practice, proactive risk management, and strengthening organisational cyber resilience.

Cyber Security Assurance Manager, Wale Micaiah, was also shortlisted for an individual award, demonstrating his outstanding contribution to cyber security across the Trust.

Sadie Bell added:

"I am immensely proud of our Joint Cyber Security Team. This recognition reflects their dedication, expertise, and the vital role they play in keeping our systems, staff, and patients safe.

"Congratulations also to Wale on his individual nomination."

These awards underline the Trust’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement in both information governance and cyber security.