The Care Employer Award
Vida Healthcare
This company understood the brief and nailed it. Passionate and compassionate, pragmatic, and aspirational
Highly Commended
Making Space
Understood and nailed the brief. A focus on kindness underpinning an energetic and values led philosophy that encouraged confidence. We loved the flatlet model and the creativity and innovation there.
The Care Home Worker Award
Zofia Goddard, Millennium Care
Zofia has massive amounts of passion and energy and uses innovative solutions to improve outcomes for her residents, across a range of homes. She also works closely with the team and helps to empower them. She has a strong ethos of development and continuous improvement.
Highly Commended
Lauren Westgarth, Accomplish Group
Lauren is an ambitious deputy manager who is passionate about helping the people she supports to achieve their full potential. She is committed, enthusiastic and tenacious to bring out the best in people (staff and people she supports) She has a mature attitude which helps her achieve a work life balance, setting a good example to her colleagues.
The Home Care Worker Award
Liz Hunter, Bluebird Care Tyneside
Liz really was the standout candidate. She has no idea how good she truly is and thinks nothing of going above and beyond for those that need her. Caring is not a job for Liz, it is a life choice.
Highly Commended
Ben Doyle, Holmleigh Care
To come from a young homeless man living alone, to the final of the great British care awards is a testament to this individual. Clearly loves what he does and loves his clients. Ben was one of the most modest people we have ever met.
The Care Home Newcomer Award
Stephen Arrowsmith, Sanctuary Supported Living
Stephen has demonstrated that he regularly goes above and beyond for the people in his care. As a newcomer to the profession, it is clear to see the joy that it has brought to Stephen personally, he truly came alive when recalling his experience and aspirations. Keep doing what you are doing and bringing laughter and support to people Stephen, you are making such a difference to the lives of the people that you so lovingly support.
Highly Commended
Panos Stavropolous, The Knoll Care Partnership
Panos has such a brilliant sense of humour and speaks so eloquently and passionately about the changes that he has felt in his own life since joining the social care sector. He oozes empathy and passion for the job that he does and it is clear that he thrives on being able to support and nurture the people in his care. It translates that Panos has obviously been on a very enlightening personal journey, and we wish him every success for his future career.
The Home Care Newcomer Award
Ellie Tew, Astar Homecare Services
Ellie embodies care and courage. She is such an impressive young lady who shows such unbelievable empathy and dedication to the job that she does and the people that she supports. We have no doubt that Ellie will continue upwards in her journey in this sector, and that she will experience much more recognition and adoration. Ellie, you blew us away with your passion, commitment and the way you spoke so eloquently and modestly about your work and achievements. You made our decision to award you Home Care Newcomer one of the easiest of the day. Congratulations.
Highly Commended
James Nichols, JAM Care
James has very quickly made massive progress in the Care Sector with JAM. We were so impressed with James’ innovation and passion to transform the care that is offered to his clients. James’s knowledge and passion for an industry that he is very new to is admirable.
The Care Home Registered Manager Award
Kinga Kowaliczek, Greenways Court Care Home, HC-One
Kinga is innovative in her approach; she has a good relationship with her staff team which enables a consistent approach to good support and care. Works very closely with CQC and often seeks guidance and the home has benefited with the additional relationship with the regulators. Her management style is approachable, adaptable, and transformational by ensuring a positive working environment and staff development. Her attitude to mistakes or areas for development is embraced to enable positive change and her staff benefit from her high standards. An exceptional Manager who embodies what it is to manage a service that results in good staff retention and leaves residents with a welcoming and comforting experience. After just over a year in the job as Registered Manager she has been given the responsibility of managing a 2nd home. This reinforces the excellent job she has done in such a short period of time.
Highly Commended
Sylwia Indycka, Birtley House Nursing Home
Bright, bubbly and fun. She portrays leadership skills in everything she does and leads by inspiring her team, ensuring work life balance for her staff, refers to herself as being an acrobat due to having to juggle so many tasks. She understands the importance of providing a safe and effective service to all her residents and ensures total compliance in all areas. A positive and innovative approach to new ideas for both Residents and Staff.
The Home Care Registered Manager Award
Jessica Graziano, Bloom and Care
Wow is the only way to describe Jessica’s enthusiasm and passion to make a difference from seeing what needed to be done to improve home care to become a winning company in such a short space of time
Highly Commended
Claire Coke, Right at Home North
We really wanted Claire to win as well, it was a very difficult decision. She is ambitious and passionate about her role, her staff, and her service users and to make a difference.
The Care Home Cook/Chef Award
Lee Joyner, Berkley Care Group
A wonderful caring kind chef, Lee really goes above his role and cares so much for his residents. He is doing exceptional work and a credit to Berkley Care Group. Both myself and Natasha really rated Lee, he takes his residents to church/football etc he is just an outstanding person who should be so proud of the work he does.
Highly Commended
Ross Baxter, Tyne Grange, Exemplar Health Care
Ross clearly understands the resident journeys and that they come first. He came from a pub background and adapted into his new role quickly. He is very knowledgeable about his role and it is clear that this is the role he should be in. This is Ross’s calling in life. Offers a great experience to everyone he looks after.
The Dignity in Care Award
Tracey Gardiner, Saracen Care Services
We are delighted to choose Tracey as winner from a strong list of candidates, Tracey’s empathy for those who use her service was evident and the lengths she goes to, to ensure her vision is filtered to the team with her hands on approach is to be applauded.
Highly Commended
Tristan Harris, Orbis Education and Care
It was a very close call, in fact the judges spent almost half an hour going back over their notes, Tristan may have been pipped at the post but both judges said they would definitely employ him and that he was an obvious huge asset to the industry and definitely “one to watch” and a future winner.
The Dementia Carer Award
Keshia McDonald, Anchor Hanover
The judges were impressed with Keshia’s modern approach dementia care. She shared moving examples of how she has made a real difference to those living with dementia and their loved ones. Her journey into the sector from volunteer to team leader is inspirational and she is now supporting others to do the same. She is the ideal role model, there is nobody better to learn from a true advocate for the future of dementia care
Highly Commended
Margaret Lovell – Cornwall Care
Margaret has dedicated her life to a career caring for others. She is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to dementia care and her passion shone through at the interview. Margaret spends a significant amount of time to look at different ways to share her knowledge and experience on dementia care with others including creating and leading numerous dementia training programmes with the setting. She is a local hero reaching out to support not only her residents, but their loved ones including driving a wife over 40 miles to visit her husband. She truly goes above and beyond- everyone needs a Margaret in their community!
The Care Home Team Award
Ynystawe Lodge, M&D care
It was a pleasure to hear about this true success story. Their professionalism was second to none and the genuine impact they have on those individuals in their care was unrivalled. The processes, procedures and initiatives that they have put in place should be used as a case study for excellence.
Highly Commended
Seymour Care
We were left speechless by the compassion, commitment and love demonstrated by this team of outstanding individuals. Nothing was too much trouble when it came to delivering the most outstanding level of end-of-life care
The Home Care Team Award
Bluebird Care Camden and Hampstead
What impressed the judges the most was that there seemed to be genuine structure to the team, it seemed the recruitment processes had been put in place to bring the best attributes and strengths possible from individuals to create “a dream team”. A team is a bit like a recipe, it needs to have every ingredient in just the right amount to achieve perfection- this team undoubtably achieve this on a daily basis.
Highly Commended
Alternative Futures, St Catherines
A team who understands that you can still be fun and professional at the same time with a keen eye for detail they are an asset to their company.
The Care Home Activities Organiser Award
Robert Speker, Loveday and Co
Robert demonstrated a refreshing ‘positive-risk taking’ approach, breaking down stereotypes with residents to ensure they always lived their lives to the fullest, by clearly going above and beyond in every aspect of the service he provides to residents. His ethos was let’s make this happen, overcoming any barriers put in his way. He firmly believes you make your own luck, but he also made his residents feel very lucky indeed. Robert was driven by a belief that you could never know enough about a resident in order to support them to live a better life – true personalisation.
Highly Commended
Amber McAdam, Summerland Care Home
Highly commended for an outstanding performance and delivery of care. Amber clearly puts her residents at the centre of everything she does, even streaming her own wedding live into the home. Amber delighted judges with her effervescent personality and can-do attitude. She is passionate about enabling others to perform her role. She felt blessed to work within her role, and that shone throughout. Once seen and never forgotten!
The Ancillary Worker Award
Michelle Cardall, Morton Nursing Home
Michelle showed what it meant to work in health and social care, passion enthusiasm, selflessness and a real die-hard attitude, putting everyone at the forefront regardless of her own needs. A real deserved winner of this award.
Highly Commended
Violet Hicks, Exemplar Health Care
Violet’s passion and enthusiasm for her role within Exemplar homes maintenance team was clear to see, her enjoyment for all things decor was inspiring putting people she support’s wishes and desires at the centre of her work.
The Workforce Development Award
Vicky Marshall, Active Prospects
Vicky stood out for her enthusiastic passion and innovative approach to training. She was inspirational with an infectious personality. Vicky ensures staff are highly skilled, motivated and most importantly they feel valued.
The Care Innovator Award
Rhiannon Thompson, Happy Futures Support Specialists
Rhiannon was the mastermind behind an innovation working to support people in a more holistic way. Truly a remarkable care and support initiative based on a combination of research and real-life experience creating a 24h wrap around service for people with complex behaviour and needs.
Highly Commended
Paul Dixon, Mill House Care and Dementia
Using his experience as a personal carer for his gran to set up a full dementia concept for his care home. With “Dementia in and out” they support people from the home get out in the community, and welcome people from the community in their home for free day care services alleviating personal carers. More homes are now on-board.
The Care Frontline Leaders Award
Rachel Roberts, Consensus Support
An absolute pleasure to speak with Rachel. Such a passionate and bubbly personality and her ‘can do’ attitude really shone through. An inspiration to talk to and a worthy winner.
Highly Commended
Nisha Leo, Nellsar care homes
A teacher as well as a leader, always wanting to push individuals to become the best they can be and find new ways in order to make the job easier for others.
The Home Care Co-ordinator Award
Deborah Spillsbury, Home Instead
We both agree she was the winner. Deborah is very passionate about what she does, she puts her colleagues and clients before herself. She is very bubbly, motivated, and passionate about delivering the best care to her clients – she demonstrated a depth of knowledge, hard work and achievement in all areas of her role that has allowed her and her team to achieve a CQC rating of “outstanding” for their services
Highly Commended
Michelle Moniz, Sans Soucie Home Care Ltd
Michelle is a rising star to be. She has recently been promoted to care home manager
The Care Assessor/Care Planner Award
Lucy Openshaw, Anchor Hanover
Lucy was a breath of fresh air at the interview, her energy and passion for the assessment and care planning pathway is infectious
Highly Commended
Joanne Thomas – Calderdale Council
Joanne really takes the time to get to know everything about her client’s life history and then channels this into achieving positive outcomes for them
The Putting People First
Katie Clohessy, iBC
Katie demonstrated incredible passion towards its residents as well as her Team. Her approach towards empowering residents in life decision making was impressive and she has demonstrated ability to challenge every barrier her Team face to ensure safety and comfort of her residents. Katie’s authenticity and enthusiasm towards caring for others is inspiring.
Highly Commended
Jane Howard, Bluebird Care Croydon
Particularly impressed by Jane’s selfless approach when caring for others. It was very touching to hear real life stories about dealing with people on a “good day and a bad day” and what it takes to make a difference in a person’s life “sometimes we have a laugh, other time we just talk and there are days when a soft touch of hand is enough to know they are ok”.
The Palliative Care/End of Life Award
Hayley McMeeking, Bluebird Care Camden and Hampstead
Hayley demonstrated a deep understanding of her role, showed compassion in abundance. Her personal experience exhibited that she will always go above and beyond for her colleagues and those in her care, exemplifying everything we would want from those caring for our loved ones.
Highly Commended
Colleen Brothers and Micheala Russell, Bluebird Specialist Care Centre, PJ Care
Colleen and Micheala offered two contrasting styles. One had the personalised approach and the other had the medical approach, both answered the questions showing compassion and the ability to provide a variety of examples, but kindness and compassion was at the heart of it all.
The Housing with Care Award
Mandy Shaw, ROC Group
This company impressed the judges with the range of people that the service supports – from young care leavers to people becoming vulnerable through illness or circumstance. Mandy showed a true passion with a capital P, for never giving up on people regardless and giving them as many chances as it takes to take ownership and improve their lives. ROC Solid are a beacon of inclusion and an ambassador for change & reform particularly with people whose lives have been touched by adversity.
Highly Commended
Nick & Lorna, Thera East Anglia
True person-centred services, Thera East Anglia are the epitome of inclusion, with people employed by the organisation with lived experience of learning disability. Service users are valued for their lived experience and insight. People who use the service are engaged in peer audits. The leaders are the embodiment of person-centred care & support.
The Social Care Nurse Award
Claire Bell, Exemplar Health Care, Dearnvale
An outstanding candidate detailed responses with clear understanding of the benefits of the nurse in social care.
Highly Commended
Balraj Kaur, Abbey Healthcare
Balraj’s deserves the highly Commended Award because of her career pathway and the work she has done for a range of clients.
Highly Commended
Elizabeth Smith, Consensus Support Services
Elizabeth deserves the Highly Commended Award because of her attention to detail and care for her users.
The Unpaid Carers Award
Mary Prechner, Volunteer, RCH Care Homes Woodlands
In the words of the person who nominated Mary: “For over 5 years Mary has been volunteering here with us at Woodlands. Over this period Mary has been conducting regular monthly Reminiscing Sessions with the residents. Mary somehow always manages to source a wide selection of wonderful and interesting original items for these sessions for all to see and touch. Mary’s sessions are extremely popular with both our residents and relatives. The lounge is always packed and our residents’ eyes just light up – the hour session just seems to fly by so quickly! Mary has a great sense of humour, is extremely patient, never rushes her sessions and always has time for our residents. Mary has been so generous in giving us her time over all these years and is now very much part of our Woodlands family. We so very much love having her with us plus all her wonderful work has a notable positive effect on our residents.”
The Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award
Linzi Sim, Vals Place Limited
Linzi is nothing short of an angel. The sacrifices that Linzi has made and the courage that she has shown are outstanding. She is passionate, empathetic, determined, dedicated and resilient. Linzi has gone above and beyond anything that could be expected of anyone to offer love, safety and care to a group of young people that desperately needed it, and her. Linzi embodies what it is to provide an outstanding contribution to social care. She is quite simply outstanding.
Highly Commended
Vikki Sylvester, Acacia Training
Vikki is more than Acacia Training. She is a passionate, impactful advocate for the entire care sector. Vikkis passion and dedication is driven from a sense of purpose, she wants to make a difference to the sector and the people that work within it, and she has chosen to lead a company in an area which gives the most opportunity for that. The awareness Vikki tireless raises for both the sector and women in business is remarkable. Congratulations Vikki.
The Social Care Covid Hero Award
Emma Rogers, Abbey Healthcare
The standard of the nominees was incredibly high however Emma’s story unanimously provoked an emotional response in all 3 judges who were blown away by her passion and the care she showed her residents throughout the first wave of the pandemic. She went far above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that the wife of a gentleman in the last hours of his life was able to say goodbye to his wife, and she to him. Despite COVID restrictions Emma made this happen through technology. She then went on to establish a Memorial Garden in the grounds of the home to remember those people lost to the pandemic. A true Social Care Covid Hero in our opinion.
Highly Commended
Gordon Anderson, Cavell Healthcare
Gordon is incredibly in tune with his workforce and impressed the judges by his support to his field staff throughout the pandemic. The ‘Care Coach’ visiting rural areas was a true example of staff support, and the renting of a lodge in Lincolnshire to give some staff & their families a well-earned break post lockdown was inspiring. He even managed to get a personalised message for a service user from Elvis Presley!! Gordon is a truly inspiring leader who values his workforce as the lifeblood of his organisation
The Social Care Covid Hero Team Award
Tara Cole, Sharon Barham, Georgia Williams, Maidstone Care Centre
This cohesive and passionate team left us assured that they understood the needs of those they support and those supporting them. They are our covid heroes because they provided a safe, family environment to residents when their own families couldn’t be present.
Highly Commended
Westwood Homecare Young Stars
This team of young carers demonstrated knowledge and passion for their role beyond their years, it was clear to see they wanted to provide the very best service they could whilst working together in a supportive and caring environment for each other.