The Brian Abel-Smith and Walter Holland Lifetime Achievement Awards

Recognising excellence in health policy and public health

LSE Health is currently hosting two prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards honouring exceptional individuals whose research and policy work have transformed health outcomes worldwide. The Brian Abel-Smith Award and the Walter Holland Award celebrate professionals whose careers exemplify the combination of intellectual rigour and real-world impact that defined their namesakes' legacies. Nominations are now closed, and the selection committee will announce winners in March.

At a time when health systems face unprecedented challenges and the need for evidence-based policy is greater than ever, these awards highlight the enduring importance of combining intellectual excellence with real-world influence.

About the Awards

Both biennial awards carry a £10,000 prize and require recipients to deliver an award lecture at LSE.

The Brian Abel-Smith Lifetime Achievement Award recognises individuals who have made significant intellectual contributions to health policy and social welfare while achieving notable policy impact that has benefitted population health.

The Walter Holland Lifetime Achievement Award honours those who have made substantial intellectual contributions to public health and demonstrated tangible impact on population health or influence on health policies at global, regional, or local levels.

While each award reflects distinct areas of contribution, both share a common emphasis on research excellence combined with practical impact on health systems and outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria

Nominees may be academics, practitioners, or policy makers with a minimum of 25 years of professional experience. Both retired professionals and those still working are eligible. Current LSE salaried staff cannot be nominated but may submit nominations.

Candidates for the Brian Abel-Smith Award must demonstrate a significant body of intellectual work in welfare policy, health policy, health economics, or health services research, alongside tangible impact on policy or healthcare delivery.

Walter Holland Award nominees must show substantial intellectual contributions to public health or health services research, with demonstrable impact on population health or influence on health policies at global, regional, or local levels.

Winners will be announced in the late March/ early April 2026.