Thursday 1st December saw over 300 of the very best in social care attended a glittering awards ceremony at The Grand Hotel, Brighton, for the finals of the Great South East Care Awards, where the category winners were announced.
The Great South East Care Awards, sponsored by Wells Pharmacy brought together the category finalists from across the South East region.
Shiraz Khan,General Manager of Well Careplus, said: “The Great British care awards are a fantastic organisation, dedicated to raising the profile of the Care Sector and the amazing individuals that champion what the care sector strives to achieve. We are delighted to sponsor the Great British care awards, to help recognise these modern day heroes, that would otherwise go unsung.”
The awards are part of the Great British Care Awards, a series of 9 regional awards celebrating excellence across the care sector. The purpose of the awards is to promote best practice within both home care and care homes sectors, and pay tribute to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work.
Sector support includes Care England, The Department of Health, Alzheimer’s Society, The National Care Forum and The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) as well as local authorities and commercial organisations.
There are total of twenty one award categories available for nomination, which represent all areas of the care sector, whether it be older people or specialist services and from frontline staff such as care workers and care managers to people who have made an impact in other ways such as training, and specialist care in areas such as dementia and innovation.
Winners of the Great South East Care Awards will go through to the final at Birmingham’s ICC which takes place on 31st March 2017
The winners of the Great South East Care Awards, together with the judge’s comments are detailed below:
The Care Employer Award
Melrose Care
Melrose Care is a small independent provider that uses this to its advantage to ensure they provide the absolute best for their staff which in turn produces great results for the their residents.
The Care Home Worker Award
Joanne Hopkinson – Westgate Healthcare
This was an extremely difficult decision as the standard of candidates was so high. Joanne expressed her passion and commitment to every resident by the actions and attitude that shone through from making sure everyone’s day starts well to her commitment overall as the dementia campion of the home. Well done Joanne
The Home Care Worker Award
Charlotte Martin – Autumn Years Care
Charlotte compassion and love of care shone through! She battles any challenge that they prevent her caring for her clients. She finds anything she can to help her residents even learning French!
The Care Newcomer Award
Kathryn Fox – CEL Care Services Ltd
Kathryn is a driven and inspirational carer – having swapped a career in the kitchen because she saw that caring for residents not cooking for them was her calling. Kathryn is ambitious, infectious and has a very bright future ahead.
The Care Home Registered Manager Award
Darren Humby – Signature at Miramar
In a very difficult and well represented category Darren impressed with his absolute passion and enthusiasm for a role he truly believes in. After huge challenges he has managed to turn the business around and is well on his way to proving it is “outstanding” A worthy winner
The Home Care Registered Manager Award
Mary Harvey – Nurse Plus
Mary cares passionately about her role and takes pride in leading her team. Mary understands the industry and adds a real warmth. A winner !!!
The Care Home Cook/Chef Award
Castleman House Team – Tricuro
Rewarded for their efforts as a catering team they work hard together to ensure residents needs are met and make good appealing food. Well done.
The Home Care Co-ordinator Award
Kelly Bowles – Platinum Care
Kelly is an enthusiastic and passionate carer who, when she could no longer deliver care, transferred to the office and became a co-ordinator. She has employed the same attributes in her new role for the benefit of carers and service users.
The Dementia Carer Award
Nicky Sayers – Anchor
Due to her sheer focus on the induvial she supports. A real devotion to independence, engaging with people on a personal level creating a valued family environment.
The Care Team Award
Bupa Eastbury Manor
This group was the personification off a team. The leader had moulded a diverse range of individuals into a cohesive group. Well done!!
The Care Home Activities Co-ordinator Award
Roxanna Chirita Langley – Havens Dementia Care Team
Roxanna has shown how Activities do not need to be limited to the usual bingo and crafts by taking her home international and bringing the world to her residents. Well done
The Ancillary Worker Award
Daniel Carter – Cinnamon Care Collection
Daniel goes above and beyond making simple changes offering huge impact on peoples lives. His words said it all “This jog changed my life”.
The Care Trainer Award
Emma Rutterford-Dawkins – Beechtree Total Care
Short time at company but clearly made a great impression and clearly loves and passionate about the training opportunities she provides. Well done Emma!!
The Care Innovator Award
Venture people
The team of venture people inspired the judge by their dive creativity and passion to develop a truly person-centred model of support for people “difficult to place” a worthy winner. Well done Hannah, Rebecca and Liam you’re truly innovators in care.
The Frontline Leaders Award
Michaela Beaney – PJ Care
Michaela proved herself to really be a frontline leader, she has improved oral which in term has improved the lives of both the residents and staff. She is innovative, hard working and friendly, is not afraid to takes responsibility therefore a worthy winner.
The Putting People First/Personalisation Award
Chelsie Randall – Netley Court Care Home
Chelsie’s self-deprecation, her passion for her residents, her dedication and her desire never to leave the care sector made her a worthy winner.
The Good Nurse Award
Sue Blessing – Oakley Unit PJ Care
Sue’s enthusiasm and passions for her work was so apparent it shone out of her face. It was also evidenced by her willingness to go the extra mile on behalf of her residents.
The Palliative Care/End of Life Award
Charlotte Little – PJ Care
Focused and passionate about supporting best care at the stages of life. Creating a valued and caring experience for everyone involved. Simply going above and beyond.
The Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award
Ann Taylor, Hilton Nursing Partners
Ann came into the Care Sector in the mid 90’s and has certainly made her mark since! She started to run a home-care agency and it wasn’t long before she made a difference in Kent, as those that know her knew she would!
She soon became a Director of the Kent Community Care Association and then the very popular Chair. After she sold the agency she worked for a national group but soon realised she needed to run her own businesses and now works nationally in care and health.
At present she is the Chair of the Kent Integrated Care Association working in Kent and nationally, and has worked with the Great British Care Awards since it’s inception.
Ann has a clear view of how care should be delivered and works very hard, in her own companies, and in partnership with others, to change the sector for the good.
She will always tell you how proud she is to be a judge for the GBCA and inspires not only those she interviews but all who meet her, she will always do her best to help and support anyone in the care sector.
Ann is certainly a very worthy winner of this Award.