Care Employer Award
Winner: Solehawk
It was almost unfair to choose just one winner, but Stephen Massey and Solehawk managed to outshine the competition. Their focus and dedication to providing holistic support to their staff are second to none. Their support framework includes monthly and annual staff awards, an HR surgery, mental health support, active empowerment, and a core ethos of constant improvement. All the nominees were fantastic, but we felt that Stephen’s organization covered every aspect of employment exceptionally well.
Highly Commended: Resolve Care
No one could fail to be in awe of the work Graeme and Resolve undertake. They take as much care of their staff as they do of their clients, with a philosophy of “look after the staff, and everything else falls into place.” And clearly, this ethos works, as they have minimal staff turnover, and all their services are rated ‘outstanding.’
Care Home Worker Award
Winner: Debbie Wood, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
This award is highly deserved. Debbie brings a wealth of experience to the care sector and is clearly a talented carer and leader within her workplace. She should be incredibly proud of her 30 years of work and the positive impact she has had on hundreds of service users. Well done!
Highly Commended: Scott McAndrew, Solehawk
Scott is a shining light in the care sector. His warm personality and passion for supporting those around him are evident in everything he does. He should be exceptionally proud of his 25 years of contributions. He has made such a positive impact on those around him. Congratulations!
Home Care Worker Award
Winner: Elizabeth (Libby) Steel, Rainbow Services (UK) Limited
Libby exemplifies the core values it takes to be an exemplary home care worker. She spoke about her day-to-day role with pride and passion. She has worked hard over the past 8 years in the sector, building many relationships and helping people live a more prosperous and fulfilled lifestyle.
Highly Commended: Alana Milligan, Rainbow Services (UK) Limited
Alana has dedicated a large part of her career to delivering care in the community. She was extremely humble when asked to reflect on her achievements. Alana always puts the person she is supporting at the forefront of all she does.
Care Home Newcomer Award
Winner: Sian Brown, Bondcare
Sian brings a wealth of experience to the care sector and is clearly a talented leader within her workplace. Her passion for learning is exceptional, and she is certainly a rock for those around her. She should be incredibly proud of her work and the positive impact she makes. Well done!
Highly Commended: John (Tony) Dixon, Anchor
Tony is an amazing person who clearly lights up every room he enters. He spoke highly of his colleagues and the care sector. It is evident that he boasts a wealth of skills, as shown by his promotion to team leader. I was incredibly impressed and wish him the best of luck in the future!
Home Care Newcomer Award
Winner: Savanna Thompson, AAA
Savanna was very positive about her role, and it was clear she was delighted to be making an impact on people’s lives. She truly had the clients’ welfare at the forefront of her mind. It was evident she felt like she had found her place in the care sector.
Highly Commended: Ralph Chima, Everyday Care & Support
Ralph was a delight to talk to and truly loves his role, with gratitude for being able to care for people. He is keen to learn and wants to improve as much as possible to ensure high-quality care and to be accepted into the sector by both his clients and peers.
Care Home Registered Manager Award
Winner: Bijumon Joseph, Memory Lane Care Homes
Bijumon is like a beam of spring sunshine after winter. His warm personality is infectious and gentle, yet it belies an unerring passion and determination to achieve excellence in every aspect of his role. He still has time and energy to help others achieve and share good practices to benefit others. Bijumon is one of those rare and exceptional people who brighten your day just by being in their presence. In a group of amazing nominees, Bijumon shone the brightest.
Highly Commended: Ann Dale, Anchor
Ann is a tour de force who exudes love and passion for everyone in and around her home—staff, families, and residents alike. She is a beacon of energy consumed by a singular determination to take absolute care of all these people with her heart and soul.
Home Care Registered Manager Award
Winner: Colette Russell, Eden County Care
Colette excels in her role as a Home Care Registered Manager, demonstrating exceptional dedication and skill. Her compassionate leadership and commitment to providing quality care make her truly outstanding. Colette’s professionalism and empathy create a supportive environment for both staff and clients, ensuring excellence in home care services.
Highly Commended: Sara Cox, KEYFORT Group
Sara’s exemplary performance as a Home Care Registered Manager shines through in her exceptional leadership and dedication. Her proactive approach, compassion, and commitment to enhancing the well-being of both clients and staff highlight her effectiveness in the role. Sara’s outstanding management skills ensure high-quality care and support for all involved.
Dignity in Care Award
Winner: Tara Parnaby, Blossom Home Care Durham
Tara demonstrated an unwavering commitment to upholding the dignity and increasing the well-being of the people she supports. She is prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure her clients are well supported and able to live the life they choose.
Highly Commended: Sara Hassam, Prestige Care Group
Sara is new to the care sector, and in her short time as a care worker, she has made a significant and profound impact on the lives of the people she supports. She has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring the cultural needs of those she supports are consistently met, particularly when they are receiving end-of-life care.
Dementia Carer Award
Winner: Guy Gibson, Solehawk
With over 20 years of dedicated experience in dementia care, Guy has demonstrated a deep passion for ensuring individuals live their best possible lives. His commitment to understanding each person before the onset of dementia enables him to provide highly personalized and compassionate care. For those without family, Guy becomes their voice, advocating tirelessly to ensure they receive the dignity, respect, and quality of life they deserve. His level of dedication highlights his exceptional contribution to dementia care.
Highly Commended: Donna Kray, Bondcare
Donna has a profound understanding of the unique realities experienced by individuals living with dementia. Recognizing that their perception may differ, she embraces their world. For instance, if a resident believes they are walking the dog, Donna compassionately joins them, walking alongside them. This empathetic approach reflects her deep commitment to meeting individuals where they are, ensuring they feel understood, supported, and respected in their everyday experiences.
Ancillary Worker Award
Winner: Isobell McMillan, Moore House Group
Isobell is a dedicated team member at Moore House Group, taking pride in her work for over 45 years. Known for her humility and kindness, she goes beyond her role, helping the team and connecting with the children, who consider her a beloved figure. Isobell’s impact is deeply felt across the campus.
Highly Commended: Brian Judge, Kara Healthcare
Brian brings creativity and compassion to his role. He engages residents in meaningful activities like painting and repairs, giving them a sense of purpose. Humble and hardworking, Brian takes pride in creating a welcoming environment and supporting his team.
Care Home Activity Organiser Award
Winner: Lynne Niven, Enhanced Elderly Care Ltd
Lynne, a devoted Activity Coordinator, wholeheartedly embraces her role with unwavering passion. Her love for the job is evident in her commitment to creating enriching experiences for residents. Despite nearing retirement age, Lynne’s dedication remains steadfast, driven by her genuine joy in making a positive impact through her work.
Highly Commended: Linda Stewart, Avondale Care
Linda, an exceptional Activity Coordinator, leverages her background to create meaningful experiences for residents. Drawing on her expertise, she orchestrates innovative and engaging activities that enhance residents’ well-being. Her dedication and creativity shine through, enriching the lives of residents and fostering a vibrant community at every turn.
Home Care Coordinator Award
Winner: Andy Crago, Keyfort Group
Andy has an exemplary focus on all elements that make a care coordinator effective. He has a keen awareness of managing conflicts, always putting his clients at the forefront of the actions he takes. He has also recently raised funds to adapt one of his clients’ wheelchairs, enabling them to get out more and improve their quality of life.
Highly Commended: Bethany Soulsby, Kelly Park Ltd
Bethany’s focus on team inclusion and her commitment to continuous improvement were great to see. She spends a lot of time nurturing her new staff members to ensure they are always prepared for the job at hand.
Care Home Chef Award
Winner: Robert Sorbie, Abbey Healthcare
Robert’s drive and passion are an asset to the care sector. He is always looking ahead to the next internal event to ensure it’s a memorable experience for both residents and their families. He adapts day-to-day menus freely to ensure everyone’s nutritional needs are met.
Highly Commended: Sian Johnson, Exemplar Health Care
Sian’s ability to make even blended diets visually appealing was highly impressive. She is extremely passionate about her role and has furthered her learning on how foods benefit a range of different health needs.
Care Home Team Award
Winner: Yohden Hall Care Team, Yohden Hall Care Complex
An inspirational team, going above and beyond in everything they do. The passion from the whole team was fantastic.
Highly Commended: Croftdene Team, Kara Healthcare
The team at Croftdene Care Home delivers exceptional, resident-led care with dedication and compassion. Known for their long-standing commitment, they create a safe, family-oriented environment where residents feel valued.
Home Care Team Award
Winner: Reablement Team, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
The Reablement team at Stockton Borough Council, led by Sue and Clare, blew the judges away with their commitment to social care and the people of Stockton. Their dedication to the Council for over 25 years, their commitment to staff and clients, and their vision for the future of social care were truly inspirational. A very worthy winner.
Highly Commended: Parkside, Community Integrated Care
Karen and Donna are passionate leaders of the independent living bungalow “Parkside.” The judges were amazed by their examples, especially how they helped a Huntington’s disease resident embrace their art.
Care Innovator Award
Winner: Save Our Wild Isles in Social Care, Community Integrated Care
John and Sophie design nature-based sensory programs to improve well-being and reduce loneliness. They have collaborated with organizations like the BBC and the National Trust, creating sensory walks and gardens in local areas. Their work has fostered community connections, improved outdoor spaces, and brought innovation to the social care sector.
Highly Commended: Janine Graham, Four Seasons
Passionate about driving quality through digitalization, Janine developed a care dashboard to quickly identify risks and trends, led a sepsis campaign that reduced sepsis by 33%, and introduced user-friendly digital tools. Janine fosters collaboration and values staff feedback.
Frontline Leader Award
Winner: Margaret Smith, Balmoral Homecare
Margaret is an invaluable asset to the team, consistently elevating standards through her dedication to staff development, tailored training, and proactive support. Her outstanding rapport with both clients and staff builds trust and ensures every client receives exceptional care. Known as the clients’ voice, Margaret exemplifies a commitment to excellence.
Highly Commended: Rachel Perry, Anchor
Rachel has shown exceptional dedication, positivity, and commitment to enhancing care for both residents and staff. Her unwavering support and enthusiasm uplift the entire team, and her contributions are deeply valued and appreciated by everyone.
Care Assessor Award
Winner: Pauline Mawdesley, Solehawk
Pauline demonstrated a strong commitment to providing person-centered care and highlighted how she treats people as individuals. She respects their values, preferences, and needs, delivering care that enhances their lives.
Highly Commended: Ross Henderson, Bond Care
Ross demonstrated effective care planning by applying evidence from research and training, maintaining close communication with professionals and individuals to ensure high-quality, personalized care.
Three Rs Award
Winner: Peterlee Care Team, Popular Care
This care team demonstrates excellence in how they retain and recognize staff. They go above and beyond for their team, hosting “Fun Fridays” and assisting with fundraising for staff members’ families during difficult times. They even recruit by dressing as Oompa Loompas on Chocolate Days. With innovative ideas like these, it’s no surprise they had 205 applicants for their last opening. Clear career progression pathways are available to all staff. Well done!
Highly Commended: Lisa Potts, Keyfort Group
Lisa is passionate about finding the right fit for each staff member to ensure their job satisfaction and retention. She has developed an excellent recruitment method that ensures each new employee has a great experience.
Workforce Development Award
Winner: Fiona Duncan, Moore House Group
Fiona’s leadership and dedication have transformed the Training Academy at Moore House over the past three years. Tirelessly committed to helping staff grow, she has guided many through their SVQ 3 and 4 qualifications and led three successful HNC cohorts. As a fully qualified paramedic, Fiona has gone beyond expectations to train teams in essential skills like first aid and defibrillator use, creating an environment of preparedness and support.
Highly Commended: Tina Stockdale, Solehawk
Tina has made an outstanding impact since joining, transforming training programs with a remarkable 98% completion rate across all homes. She introduced tailored e-learning, mentor schemes, and a comprehensive induction program, empowering staff to deliver training independently. Her efforts in dementia and non-care staff training have further elevated the team’s skills.
Putting People First Award
Winner: Marie Jevon, Include In Autism
Marie lives and breathes her purpose. She has created a level of confidence and trust in the services she runs and truly embodies the term “person-centered.” She is rightly referred to as the “fearless advocate” for those in her care.
Highly Commended: Laura Lawlor, Building Futures East
Building Futures does exactly what it says on the tin, supporting vulnerable people across the community to find and craft their own path in the world. They give them the tools and confidence to empower themselves and live a life they choose to make happen.
Palliative Carer Award
Winner: Laura Erskine, Anchor
A truly compassionate care worker with the knowledge to deliver excellent quality palliative care. Laura goes above and beyond, seeking additional training in oral care, and has been recognized by family members for her exceptional care. She treats all residents with dignity at the end of their lives.
Highly Commended: Edgar Chingalembe, Solehawk
Edgar has an excellent understanding of the importance of communication with family members and other healthcare professionals.
Social Care Nurse Award
Winner: Andrea Ramshaw, Hill Care Group
Andrea’s passion for care is evident and infectious, ensuring that her dedication to person-centered care is passed on to her team and, ultimately, to the people in her care. She consistently upholds high standards of care, which she achieves effortlessly.
Highly Commended: Wendy Bramwells & Joanne Lang, Bond Care
Team spirit shines through with Wendy and Joanne. Their love for their work and clients is evident in every interaction. They go above and beyond to ensure both staff and clients are happy, providing peace of mind for families.
Highly Commended: Bethan Blacklock, Keyfort Group
Bethan’s commitment to training and development is remarkable, especially her efforts to raise awareness about cervical screening with her own campaign. She consistently goes above and beyond, balancing her role with weekend shifts as a practice nurse, building strong relationships with both clients and colleagues. Her selflessness, positive outlook, and tireless dedication make her an invaluable asset to the team. You are truly inspiring, and your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed – well done!
Social Care Co-Production Award
Winner: Louise Brown, Moore House Group
Louise Brown is an outstanding example of co-production in action, leading by example and ensuring that every child in her care has a voice. Her dedication to involving young people in decisions, combined with her strong relationships with all stakeholders, results in deeply impactful and person-centered care.
Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award
Winner: Gaynor Harrison, Three Bridges Care Ltd
Gaynor’s dedication to the industry and her genuine fight for the people in her care to get the best outcomes brought a tear to my eye. She is passionate about supporting her staff, and this shines through in her approach to mentoring and training. Gaynor shared a remarkable success story from a young lady in her care.
Highly Commended: Arlene Kyle, Roots and Wings Social Care Ltd
Arlene’s knowledge, skills, and thirst for learning were truly inspirational. She is dedicated to making a difference, and her drive to always improve sets a true example for herself and the industry.
Highly Commended: Farah Hutchinson, Milewood
Throughout her time with the organization, she has been a steadfast support for both the people we care for and her colleagues. Farah’s extensive knowledge and tireless commitment to service users’ growth and achievements make her an invaluable part of the team.
