Medics for Rare Disease Recognised in the NatWest SE100 Top Social Enterprises Index
We are incredibly proud to share that Medics for Rare Disease has been recognised in the NatWest SE100 Index of the UK’s top social enterprises. A celebration of the country’s most impactful purpose-driven organisations.
Alongside this achievement, we are also honoured to be announced as a Highly Commended finalist for the Impact Storyteller Award, recognising the power of sharing stories that drive change. Not only did we get recognised for our mission driven work, CEO, Lucy McKay, has been recognised among the UK’s Top 100 Pioneering Impact Leaders.
This recognition is so rewarding, to see our mission-driven work being celebrated: To shape a medical profession that can provide a timely diagnosis and excellent care to people living with rare disease.
What is the NatWest SE100 Index?
The NatWest SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards are delivered annually by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital. The SE100 Index recognises 100 of the UK’s leading social enterprises and mission-driven organisations that are creating meaningful social or environmental impact while demonstrating strong business performance, innovation and resilience. Inclusion in the index recognises both the impact an organisation delivers and its commitment to sustainable, purpose-led growth.
Award Categories and What They Recognise
The SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards recognise achievement across a range of categories that reflect the diversity of the social enterprise sector. These include Social Business Pioneer, which celebrates established organisations delivering strong impact and growth, and Pioneering Newcomer, which highlights emerging ventures with significant promise.
Other categories include Climate Pioneer, Diversity Pioneer and Public Sector Pioneer, recognising organisations tackling climate challenges, advancing equity and inclusion, and driving innovation in public service delivery.
The awards also shine a light on leadership, communication and innovation through categories such as Impact Storyteller, Social Investment Pioneer, Pioneering Leader, Pioneering Woman and Pioneer of the Future. Together, these categories showcase the breadth of work being done to create positive change across the UK.
What Medics for Rare Disease Has Been Recognised For
Being included in the SE100 Index is a significant honour, recognising our ongoing commitment to advancing equitable healthcare for people living with rare disease. The SE100 Index celebrates organisations that demonstrate outstanding impact, growth, and achievement over the past year, and we are proud to be featured alongside such inspiring changemakers.
We are especially proud to have been Highly Commended as a finalist for the Impact Storyteller Award. This recognition celebrates the importance of sharing lived experiences, advocating for the rare community, and using storytelling to drive awareness and education amongst healthcare professionals.
We are also delighted that our CEO, Lucy McKay, has been named among the UK’s Top 100 Pioneering Impact Leaders. Recognising the most inspiring leaders in social enterprise, who have been nominated for the work they have done to make positive change happen over the past year. Lucy’s leadership at Medics for rare disease has been central to shaping our vision and driving forward our impactful work
“The Pioneers100 is a list of 100 founders and CEOs who have made a decision to change something – to solve an issue, to right an injustice, to address the climate crisis, to give support or care or training to a specific group who might be left behind or disadvantaged by society.” – Quote from Pioneers 100 list
Our Mission and Why This Matters
Our mission is to shape a medical profession that can provide timely diagnosis and excellent care for people living with rare conditions. Approximately 6% of the global population live with a rare disease, and it has been highlighted as a global health priority by the World Health Organisation. There are >6,000 rare diseases, so it is impossible to use a standard medical education approach (covering individual diseases one at a time) so they are often neglected. We use story-telling as a medium to efficiently empower doctors with the knowledge and skills to make a difference.
It is incredibly rewarding to see our mission-driven work being recognised in this way. Every step forward reflects the dedication of our community and reinforces the importance of building a healthcare system where rare disease patients are not overlooked and where equitable care is the standard.
Thank You
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our ambassadors, trustees, sponsors, partners, supporters and the rare community. Your collaboration, support and belief in our work continue to drive meaningful change. We will continue to advocate for our vision of equitable healthcare for everyone and our mission to shape a medical profession that can provide a timely diagnosis and excellent care to people living with rare disease.
Links:
- Sign up for free rare disease 101 training here
- For more information on the Natwest SE100 index and impact pioneer awards visit their website.
- If you’re inspired by what we do and want to help us go further, a donation today will directly support our mission to improve timely diagnosis and equitable care for people living with rare diseases. Every contribution helps us reach more clinicians, deliver more education, and ultimately improve outcomes for patients who are too often overlooked. Donate now.
