The Professional Awards are a suite of qualifications at four different levels of practice:

• Certificate
• Diploma
• Advanced Diploma
• Strategic Management

The awards are delivered by NHS Connecting for Health in partnership with a number of education institutions across England. To gain a Professional Award, candidates complete a programme of study with a partner institution and submit a portfolio of evidence, recognised by the Health Informatics Qualifications Management Board (HIQMB). These awards are currently being phased out, with the final students starting an award in October 2007. The awards will be superseded by an NHS scheme to recognise health informatics courses that meet a defined set of standards.