On Friday 30h November, the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton provided a spectacular backdrop for the finals of the Great South East Care Awards, where the twenty category winners were announced.
The Great South EastCare Awards, supported by the Department of Health, are part of the Great British Care Awards, a series of regional awards which celebrates excellence in social care and pay tribute to those who work in the sector throughout England. The awards are all inclusive, bringing together the statutory, independent and voluntary sectors, as well as unpaid carers; promoting joint working.
The Great South East Care Awards have received nominations and support from all corners of the sector. Sector support includes the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), Skills for Care, Ceretas and the English Community Care Association. Local Authority support and commercial organisations are also supporting the awards. Care Talk magazine is the media partner.
There were a total of twenty 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, specialist care in areas such as dementia and innovation.
Nominations came in from all corners of the sector and region and successful candidates were invited for interview for infront of a panel of sector experts. Thegala award evening started in style with a champagne reception, followed by a superb gourmet dinner and the awards presentation with television star Dr Hilary Jones and then dancing into the night.
Winners from the awards will be invited to attend the national finals for either the home care or care home sector which will take place in April and June 2013 at a prestigious venue in London.
The awards support a chosen charity; The Care Professionals Benevolent Fund is the registered charity for the Care Sector and are here to support current, former and retired care professionals, by providing assistance to relieve financial hardship or sickness.
Lisa Carr, Director of the Great British Care Awards said,
“We are delighted to be staging the Great South EastCare Awards for the third time. The care awards are going from strength to strength with this year’s regional events. The support from sector partners has been overwhelming and the quality and sheer nominations has been astounding.
These awards recognise and pay tribute to the efforts and dedication of all those who work tirelessly to ensure that so many people are able to live independent lives in their own home. They are the perfect showcase to reflect on best practice in the social care sector. A sector where people truly dedicate themselves to their work and take pride in their achievements.
The people of the South East are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated people caring for the vulnerable and elderly members of their communities. Congratulations to everyone this evening – everyone here is a winner!”
The winners of the Great South East Awards, together with the judge’s comments are detailed below:
The Care Employer Award
Paul Sturgess – Blossoms Care Services
Blossom Care provide an innovative business in a challenging sector of the care industry. Paul’s intelligent passion for listening to and working with service users result in an ethically based forward thinking, knowledge driven service – outstanding!
The Care Home Worker Award
Alan O’Neil – Avante Care & Support
Highly inspirational, imaginative person who shows sensitivity to what he is doing but does not forget he is dealing with individuals who want to have the best out of their lives in care – congratulations Alan!
The Home Care Worker Award
Dionne Mant – Home Instead Senior Care
Wow! Dionne is so enthusiastic and caring that any company would be lucky to have her! She seems to have her niche and lives it to the full. Well done Dionne, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you!
The Care Newcomer Award
Amy Weston – Sevacare UK Ltd
Amy is a fabulous carer with a huge heart, more amazing that she has overcome her own difficulties so marvellously to help others. Well done Amy, a true inspiration!
The Care Home Registered Manager Award
Keith Bartlett – HC-One
Keith exemplifies the passion that is needed for an outstanding care home manager. He inspires commitment and person-centred care, reflected by the positive experience of residents and their families.
The Home Care Registered Manager Award
Donna Stinton – Enara
Donna was the unanimous winner. She demonstrated clear management skills evidenced by her merger of two companies. She also showed innovation in how she rewarded staff for going the extra mile.
The Care Home Nutrition & Hydration Award
Andrew Mussett – Majesticare
The passion and enthusiasm Andrew demonstrates is inspiring. The variety of menus he produces and special events he plans would make residents and visitors alike feel as if they were dining in a 5 star hotel – well done Andrew!
The Dignity in Care Award
Amanda Pettitt & Team – Active Assistance
Amanda’s team works with a client group with very complex needs. They have embedded an approach to dignity that touches the whole organisation from leadership to training and practice.
The Dementia Carer Award
Safia Boukars – Anchor
Safia has built a great breadth of knowledge and skills working with people with dementia. She has a strong focus on person-centred care and individualised dementia related activities exploring ways of improving quality of life.
The Care HomeTeam Award
Gade House – Bupa Care Homes
The great rapport between the registered manager and the care assistant was evidence of a strong team bond. The residents of Gade House clearly benefit from an excellent team working in unity and harmony.
The Home Care Team Award
Hallifax Care Team – Hallifax Care
An amazing person-centred team; Everybody cares and this is what enables them to deliver amazing care to the people they look after. They really deserve this award for holding true in challenging times – well done!!
Care Home Activity Organiser
Timothy Lumgair – The Bevern Trust
An inspirational activity co-ordinator who looks at challenges as opportunities to try new approaches to overcome barriers to involvement in activities – congratulations Timothy!
The Ancillary Worker Award
Jim Halliday – HC-One
Jim is a dedicated individual, despite serious illnesses he’s never had a day off sick in 11yrs! Always putting residents and colleagues first – inspirational – well done Jim!
The Care Trainer Award
Maggie Woloszyn – Shelbourne Senior Living
Maggie saw a need within her organisation and set out to build a powerful training and career development tool, working in partnership with a range of external organisations. She includes management and staff in her vision and impressed the judges with her motivation and enthusiasm.
The Care Innovator Award
Adam Mason – Brighton & Sussex Care
A simple and understated innovative vision of a very complex service area. Adam has developed bespoke care services in a very niche market; His focus and dedication to staff and service users as ‘one’ makes him truly deserving of this award.
The Frontline Leaders Award
Bob Leeves – Outreach 3 Way
Bob has created and led a sport and leisure service that is enhancing lives in a way that can be sustained. In addition he has seen and acted upon an opportunity to support volunteers to progress their own skill development.
The Home Care Co-ordinator Award
Victoria Hutchins – Westminster House
Victoria inspired the judges with a passion she showed to not only her role but the company she works for. Her determination to deliver high quality services to support her clients is a credit to her. Victoria’s understanding of continuity of service and safeguarding was fully supporting and mentoring staff made her a clear winner – well done Victoria!
The Putting People First Award
Martin McGibbon – Fitzroy
Martin never makes assumptions of what people may want or need but has a flair for opening up opportunities to create their own pathways. He facilitates a journey of confidence for each person empowering them to say what they feel and want. Martin said ‘I cant support someone if I am not listening to them’ – Well done Martin a true winner of putting people first.
Unpaid Carers Award
Sue Garner
Sue has gone the extra mile in helping carers looking after someone with a mental illness. Drawing on her own experience, she has shown strong compassion, worked tirelessly to improve services, organised activities and outings for carers and served as a trustee for a local housing association.
The Outstanding Contribution to Social Care Award
Ann Cooke, MCCH Society Limited
Ann has dedicated 65 of her years to supporting disadvantaged people to achieve their aspirations. At 79 she shows no sign of retiring or slowing down. An inspiration!