National-Care-Awards-2021 - Celebration Supplement by investorpublishing

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

THE HEALTHCARE TEAM AT CHRISTIE & CO WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE 2021 FINALISTS AND WINNERS FOR THEIR FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS. We are proud to support an event that celebrates the successes of the healthcare sector and we look forward to celebrating with you all in 2022!

christie.com

Welcome Vernon Baxter

Firstly, huge congratulations to all our winners and finalists. After an incredibly challenging period for everyone in the sector it was so fantastic to bring our brilliant finalists together in November 2021. As we all learn to live with Covid-19 it was only fitting that we also took a moment to celebrate the remarkable resilience of everyone who works in our sector and the brilliant work that has been done since the start of the pandemic.

Managing director Investor Publishing

In this spirit, Caring Times would once again like to express its profound thanks to Christie & Co for its commitment to the sector and to all who work in it by continuing with its much appreciated Main Sponsorship of the National Care Awards. Christie & Co has played a huge part as our partners since the outset and over the past 23 years has helped us to build the largest and most respected Care Awards in the sector. A massive ‘thank you’ must also go to all our category sponsors. We have an incredible list of the leading organisations in care who have clearly demonstrated their belief in valuing, highlighting, encouraging and rewarding excellence in the care workforce. In 2021 we had an amazing response to our call for Awards entries. We always get a great response but in 2021 we had a remarkable response from right across the sector and from all parts of the UK. The examples of innovation, excellence and sheer courage in the face of coronavirus are truly inspirational. Finally, our judges make such an important contribution to the Awards and once again we’d like to thank all of them for their expertise and insight.

The 24th National

2022 Become a 2022 event partner caroline.bowern@investorpublishing.co.uk | +44 (0) 797 4643292

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our main sponsor... Christie & Co Christie & Co has provided specialist brokerage, valuation, consultancy, investment and development advice to business and property owners in the leisure and healthcare sectors for over 85 years. Our nationwide network of experts cover the breadth of the healthcare market, including elderly care, senior living, integrated retirement communities and specialist care, alongside our wider teams which also encompass medical specialists, in dental, pharmacy, GP surgeries, clinics and primary care, as well as the childcare and specialist childcare markets. The Christie & Co healthcare team includes 81 transactional and advisory professionals across our UK network of 13 offices led by industry recognised market-leaders. The volume of work we undertake in the healthcare sector, ranging from single-asset operations to nationwide portfolios, gives us an ever evolving and data-backed understanding of the healthcare market on both a national and local level. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? We are thrilled to be supporting the National Care Awards as main sponsor for the 23rd year in a row. We have proudly supported the awards since their inception and are passionate about the importance of celebrating the very best people in the social care sector, celebrating excellence, and rewarding those who work tirelessly to provide consistently outstanding care. Richard Lunn, Managing Director – Care at Christie & Co comments: “We are delighted to have been involved in the Care Awards for the past 23 years, and now, more than ever, it is so important to highlight, acknowledge and reward some of the hardest-working dedicated professionals working on the front line of care delivery. We hope everyone enjoyed the awards evening, celebrating all that is great about care sector. It is so inspiring every year to hear the stories of strength and perseverance from all of the finalists. Congratulations once again to all.” How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? At Christie & Co, we have been very mindful of the challenges faced by operators and have evolved our working practices as best as we can. We can offer a blended approach with virtual tours where physical viewings aren’t possible and maintaining our excellent level of service ensuring we are available to assist with any queries our clients have. We have robust processes in place for regular testing for our staff whom for which physical site visits are a necessity, and a compassionate approach to differing policies and procedures across care providers – working as flexibly as possible to accommodate our clients needs. We aim to maintain our position as the go-to advisor for care business transactions in the UK, and ensure our clients are confident in the knowledge that we can give them expert, realistic and honest advice on their strategic ambitions – whether that is looking to buy, sell or expand their care business. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? The pandemic has reinforced the importance of our long- standing relationships with providers and intermediaries as well as our depth of experience in the sector. This has enabled us to provide the very best service to our clients and support the sector in these unprecedented times. Our objective is to continue this into 2022 whatever challenges lie ahead!

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Carer 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Sian Jones

Denham Manor, Caring Homes I try to be the best carer every day and listen to residents. I get to know them on a personal level, including their past to really understand them and help support their future. I’ve been a carer for 2 years so I have experienced the job before COVID and learnt to adapt. Regardless of COVID, I think the most important part of my job is providing dignified and respectful end of life care to the residents. It is the most rewarding types and elements of care that we can provide for the residents and their loved ones. I like to learn what makes them happy. For example, one resident used to own a nightclub in the 1960’s in Halifax. They used to host big up and coming artists such as Black Sabbath! On one of my weekends off, I travelled up to Halifax to go on the heritage trail, take photos outside where the resident used to work and got to know her even better. The photos I brought back sparked lots of happy memories for the resident, and it was clear this meant a lot to her. On another day off, I was notified that a 105yr old residents sadly passed away. I was close with this resident and immediately called the home and nurses to see if I could come in to help make sure she was washed and dressed in the most presentable, appropriate clothing and ensured the resident had her favourite doll and some flowers right by her. I played the residents favourite songs and hymns, put some photos on her chest and was thanked by the family for such a nice send off. I believe it is one of the nicest and sadly, last things you can do for someone, so it’s important it is done right. I enjoy being a carer because I feel valued in the job and at the end of each day can go home and feel like I’ve done something rewarding. It’s not always easy and it’s a lot of hard work but when a resident smile or laughs or gives a touch on the hand it’s so heart-warming and overwhelming, it makes it all worth it.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “It is very clear for the testimonials that Sian goes above and beyond in her care role. She referred to the residents as her family and it is clear that the residents mean a lot and shows how deeply committed she is to her residents at Denham Manor. It is clear from the testimonials from the relatives and her colleagues that she has a huge heart and is a very worthy winner of this award. Sian is a classically trained pianist and often performs last offices for the residents at the end of their lives which is such a key aspect of caring for the elderly. Sian clearly leaves a very positive lasting impression for the residents and she is nominated in the home to lead the dementia training programme. During the pandemic it is clear that Sian stepped in to support the residents where they’re families couldn’t be there.”

I feel honoured that I can share this part of their life with the residents and I’m thankful every day I come to work that I get to spend time with such interesting people.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Registered Nurse 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Fanel (Gigi) Encea

Hastings Court, Oakland Care THE JUDGES’ VIEW “The pride of being a nurse poured out of Gigi, and the privilege he feels in being able to do his job to an outstanding level, clearly drives him every day. The most important factor for him is to ‘be present’ for his residents, and this may sound simple, but knowing that a nurse always has hundreds of things, to do so takes skill, discipline and a lot of empathy. His breadth of skills was evident, not only in the attention he gives to caring for his residents but also his ability and understanding of the importance of communicating well with relatives and other healthcare professionals, as well as supporting his team to get the best outcomes.”

As a Registered Nurse what are the most important contributions you can make to help a care home be outstanding? I feel that a nurse should not just be a clinician who delivers physical care but should take a whole person approach while delivering person centered care, when looking after a resident. Each resident needs to trust their nurse and be able to see the individual personality behind the tunic. I believe a friendly positive attitude is important and to show care and compassion to each resident. The nurses should not only implement clinical care but also take a holistic approach to promote the physical, social and mental wellbeing of each resident. The nurses also provide an important line of communication with families and loved ones regarding the resident.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Care Team 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Kingfishers Nursing & Residential Home

Colten Care

What were the best ways your team found to stay motivated when the challenges it faced may have seemed overwhelming ? As a care home in the midst of a pandemic, we faced many challenges. However, we managed to get through each one together by remaining a close-knit team with a positive mental attitude. To keep our team motivated we aimed to get our communication as close to perfect as it could be, having extra team meetings to cascade information and enable any worries or concerns to be aired immediately. We made sure staff finished their shift every day with a little treat, whether that be chocolate, cakes, or pizza! Something just to say “well done and enjoy your rest.” When times were tough, we relied on each other to help lighten the mood, keep smiling, and enjoyed some laughter when and where appropriate. Through good times and bad we supported each other, offering a helping hand, a listening ear or just a kind word.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Kingfishers wowed the judges with strong values that clearly ran through the whole team, expertly led by a passionate manager. From personal tours with the gardener, to bringing residents to life on National Biscuit Day, or reuniting generations, Kingfishers provided fabulous examples of teamwork. With its close connections to its local surgery, and innovative work on nursing associates, Kingfishers team showed just why they are twice rated Outstanding.”

Residents and relatives took time to send many letters of thanks to the team and these were always shared with the staff, placing them on the notice board for everyone to read. We are lucky to have such a great support team, with members of Head Office willing to roll up their sleeves to help when staff shortages became an issue. We really have a ‘One Team’ approach at Colten Care. Our main motivation was, and continues to be, the smiles upon the faces of our residents. Kingfishers is their home, and over the last 18 months we had to become their family more than we ever have before, forming even stronger relationships that will never break.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Home Manager 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Heather Choat

Halstead Hall Care Home, Stow Healthcare Group

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “We chose Heather Choat as the achievements at Halstead Hall are remarkable. Heather joined Halstead when it was rated Inadequate and was in danger of closure. Morale was low and the home’s reputation was very poor. Due to Heather’s determination, caring nature and commitment to staff development and empowerment she has taken the home from a desperate place to a vibrant home with numerous staff success stories, overall Good with Outstanding on well led, changing the lives of the residents and managing to navigate the pandemic without any cases of Covid. Heather is one of care’s heroes and this award and recognition are well earned. Congratulations Heather!”

What are the qualities you would look for if you were recruiting a care home manager? The understanding of vision and values are so important when recruiting a care home manager. Every home manager is part of the home’s journey. They need the vision to know where it is they want to take the home and the values in order to successfully lead the team on the journey beside them. If the manager does not know the direction for the home, the team simply cannot drive it forward. I would not be where I am today without the support from the team. As the Home Manager, my door is always open and my team can come to me 24/7, 7 days a week with worries concerns or ideas and suggestions to push the home forward. You have to be the listening ear to everything that goes on in the home and be the presence of support for your team, this has been particularly important throughout the pandemic to offer reassurance and guidance to staff. Turning around a failing home like we have done at Halstead Hall is no mean feat. The road outstanding is not a straight one, there are countless twists and turns and bumps in the road and it takes real determination to push through the bad times in order to look back and see how far you have come. It is important to look back and reflect on the journey but equally as important to continue to push forward and continue to provide the very best care for our residents.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Dementia Care Manager 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Danielle Cave

Hale Place Farmhouse, Hale Place Care Solutions

How do you optimise the quality of life of the residents living with dementia in your home? For over 34 years, Hale Place’s philosophy of care has been built around ‘active lives’. Synergize this with our core value of ‘happy lives for everyone’ and we have the building blocks of a meaningful, happy and healthy future for the people we support and our employees. The symptoms of dementia vary greatly but most people will usually experience reduced mobility which may lead to increased inactivity, withdrawal from social contact and involvement, mood and behaviour changes and depression. It is for these reasons that we believe supporting people to be active in their everyday lives will ensure their independence, dignity and general demeanour is maintained for as long as possible and that their wellbeing is preserved. We achieve this by developing a programme of activities the individual can enjoy, find uplifting and engage with. Their activity programme reflects their choices, but we build in a range of activities and experiences that will positively engage them in being physically active. We have a ‘Walk A Day’ programme, daily dog walking, pet support, vegetable growing, gardening and activities of daily living as well as a wide range of external activities within the local community.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Danielle came across as very caring, compassionate and person-centred. She clearly works hard to build positive relationships with residents and their families and ensure that they have a good quality of life while in her care. She is a perfect role model, who values people and is passionate about making a difference and is clearly committed to a career in social care having risen through the ranks and deservedly earning her place as a positive leader. I am sure she is an inspiration to many.”

The other ingredient to optimising a person’s quality of life is happiness. We may engage a person in a wonderful activities programme, but we want to see genuine happiness, hear laughter and see smiles. We work tirelessly to this end because enjoying life is our daily objective and the reason for living. We engage with service users, their family members and key workers in developing an individuals’ activity programme which is published on that person’s portal and everyone with access to it could see if the person engaged in the activity. We also publish a group activities calendar, on our website, for everyone to see what is happening at Hale Place. Transparency, openness, engagement and inclusiveness is key to developing and maintaining a meaningful life for everyone. You cannot build a culture of activity and happiness overnight; our employees are focussed on our end goal, and we do not carry passengers. A quality, focussed, driven and motivated team, who all want to enhance people lives, is what we aspire to deliver. Together we not only improve the lives of the people within our care, but we extend longevity and witness happiness.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Operations/ Area Manager 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Debbie Inkersole Canford Healthcare

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Debbie is a worthy winner of this category having won the respect of the people she works with and immense credibility from the residents and relatives she supports. Recognising that credibility comes from truly understanding your business, Debbie spends much of her time not just visiting her homes but working among her teams, leading by example and offering a willing pair of hands when the going gets tough. Working collaboratively and taking her teams’ counsel has made her a successful, caring and approachable manager.”

My positive changes arising from the pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic has brought huge challenges for everyone, especially for those of us who work in care homes. Despite everything, though, these difficult, uncertain times have prompted me to make positive changes to how I work with my teams. In the early days of the pandemic, I reduced my visits to one home each week to avoid spreading the virus. With fewer visits, each became extremely focussed, dedicated to specific issues and supporting the managers and staff through any concerns. Everyone – including residents and their families – were worried about the impact of this new disease and required support, leadership, reassurance and morale boosting to help them through. Because I was physically present in the homes less often, the managers gained more confidence and autonomy in their role. We became very proficient in using Teams and Zoom! The ability – thanks to technology – to work remotely has been a huge benefit, allowing me to provide extra support to the home teams via virtual calls. Sharing screen content has helped immensely, too, saving time and ensuring we are on the same page with information and understanding – literally! The use of this technology has also enabled me to ‘attend’ staff meetings that I otherwise could not get to. It’s been time saving, too, as I’ve used hours, otherwise spent non productively in a car, to get more work done and provide vital support. As the maintenance of quality is so important, especially during a pandemic, I also work with, and support, the trainers across my homes, holding bi-monthly meetings with them via Teams to ensure that staff are still accessing ongoing training. I am in email and telephone contact with trainers as and when further support is required, which has proved beneficial for everyone. As a result, our training statistics have remained high throughout the pandemic, enabling us to stay compliant in this area. Technology has also helped us maintain a regular dialogue with relatives. We have met regularly with them virtually, individually and as a group. In fact, feedback shows that families prefer this way of meeting managers and teams, so this is now the new norm! In this way we are emerging from the pandemic with new and effective ways of working. Technology has been an enabler and we have become more focussed, efficient and better able to provide support to others, even if this is not face to face.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Care Activities Co-ordinator/ Facilitator 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Robert Speker

Sydmar Lodge Care Home What are the lasting, positive adaptations you have made to your practice as a consequence of the pandemic? The pandemic has not changed my practice but it has reinforced the principles with which I facilitate activities. With compassion, understanding, patience and resilience. These skills along with the wide-ranging skillset of an activities co-ordinator put me in good stead to deal with the pandemic. Also having 40+ residents who have shown courage and stoicism throughout their lives (including some who have lived through World War II) was a great example to adhere to. What quickly became clear with the onset of the pandemic was that activities would have to adapt and I would have to be innovative in my approach to ensure the wellbeing of the residents. This meant being aware of several factors:

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “It was striking through Robert’s own video, the testimonials and the outputs with the residents and families just how much Robert values each unique individual and their contribution. Robert has a really unique empowering approach to facilitating activities and helping residents to feel both fulfilled and happy. Robert also came up with an amazing project to recreate some famous musical album covers and the results are amazing – we are sure that the residents had so much fun.”

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The restriction and at some times the absence of visits from relatives and friends carried the potential to produce feelings of exclusion for residents and the possibility of low mood, depression and disappointment - cancellation of regular meetings particularly with families; inability for residents to be present at special events often planned in advance.

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Inability to leave the care home for outings can produce feelings of exclusion, institutionalisation and lack of engagement.

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There was a need to be adaptive in order to replace face to face activities with other formats of engagement activity.

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New ways of fulfilling the lives of residents need to be constantly devised taking into account the individual life and needs of individual residents (for example the Care Home Album Covers project).

The notable exception as a significant change is the use of technology. As soon as lockdown commenced on 12th March 2020, I immediately began the task of co-ordinating and facilitating video calls with hundreds of family members (children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and extended family) to ensure that they could keep in regular contact with their loved ones. I decided to use Facebook Messenger as my chosen method of communication since most people have Facebook and some users wished to use Facetime. Zoom was utilised for pre-planned virtual gatherings such as a residents’ hundredth birthday celebrations where I was honoured to be with the resident in her bedroom engaging with her family (in their own homes). Luckily I can play the piano, and my repertoire has certainly grown during the pandemic to ensure a wide variety of live music was provided throughout. This was supplemented with what I class as live, virtual entertainers, whereby the musical entertainers perform via either Zoom (if they want to see the residents) or YouTube Live. I tried to make these as interactive as possible, messaging the entertainer throughout with the names of the residents and staff in attendance, who had their hair done etc. I also encouraged family members to send in messages and requests for the residents. I remember early on, predicting that the pandemic was not going to be over quickly in a matter of weeks or even months. Now we are approaching two years in lockdown, although at present in what can only be described as a state of permanent partial-lockdown. We are not yet back to normal and do not know when or if we ever will be. But it is my duty to the residents (and their families) to keep them positive, engaged and safe whilst planning and implementing activities to enrich their lives so that they enjoy every day. The main lesson is constantly to adapt to look for new activities and new ways of delivering and engaging. This is a positive change as it enables more to be achieved for the benefit of residents which of course is the central focus of my role. CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Housekeeper 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Gina Galloway

Ford Place Nursing Home, Stow Healthcare Group

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “After 18 years of commitment, Gina is a jack-of-all trades and sees Ford Place as her second home. While maintaining exceptional infection control procedures during the pandemic, Gina developed and implemented a new infection prevention and control regime while offering reassurance to those who were feeling anxious about coming to work. Gina thrives on learning new things and is always looking at ways to improve the residents’ experience. When the home closed its doors to visitors, Gina reopened the home’s hair salon on her days off, offering weekly pampering sessions and helping residents to retain some normality. Gina even learnt to sew and spent a year knitting a scarf for a resident at Christmas just to see them smile. Gina we are super proud of you and everything you have done.”

How do housekeepers best balance the regulatory and safety requirements of their role with the need to make their homes as homely as possible? First and foremost, my passion is making sure my team and I create the perfect home from home environment for our residents, promoting choice, freedom and independence. Whether it is help choosing an outfit, positioning photographs or arranging flowers, I believe it is the little touches that help make a house a home. It is important for me to spend time with our residents getting to know them all as individuals and find out how their needs can be met and how they can be involved in keeping their space safe, clean and infection free. As infection control champion, I led the charge on infection control throughout the pandemic making it a priority for every single member of staff not just housekeeping. For me, it is about educating staff (and residents) to understand how their actions impact others and how infection control can be enhanced tenfold if everyone is involved.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Care Chef 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Bhanu Morampudi

Cedar Lodge, Forest Care

THE JUDGES’ VIEW What is the best way to actively seek the food/nutrition requests and preferences of your residents? The best way to actively seek the food/nutrition requests and preferences of our residents is done in a number of ways: • Getting to know each resident individually • Building friendly rapport so they feel comfortable to chat with the catering team • Providing a variety of communication channels • Include the residents in the planning, preparation and decision-making process. I believe getting to know the residents personally is how best to actively seek their feedback so they feel comfortable to provide their honest opinion. This means spending time with them when they first arrive at the care home, chatting about where they have traveled, what food they most enjoy and if they enjoy trying new things. I then combine this with talking to their families and then also liaising with the care team to understand their care plan and any medical requirements the food must satisfy.

“Bhanu’s passion and flexible approach to addressing residents’ needs and preferences was apparent through his wellbalanced and nutritious menu. He expressed the importance of the sensory experience of food and how he integrates this into all meals including pureed food. His engagement in a gardening club, cooking demonstrations or organising private dining for residents and their loved ones demonstrates his capacity to go above and beyond in the kitchen to ensure all residents are nourished and content.”

Direct feedback is also sought after from the residents. This might be after their lunchtime meal when I usually visit each table, resident room to see if they enjoyed their food. Or we have quarterly resident/relative meetings which I attend and we discuss the food available and I act on all the feedback received during these gatherings. We have a variety of communication channels for residents to use to give their feedback. Finally, the residents are given the planned seasonal menu to review before we change the 4-week menu. This gives them a chance to ask for any changes or to suggest alternatives. This vital step in planning the seasonal menus means residents are included in the running of their home and know that their opinions are valued. And how do you respond if their suggestions are not necessarily ‘healthy’? At Cedar Lodge, our motto is “Life lead by residents’ choice” so we deliver on their every request. If they would like something on the menu that is not necessarily “healthy” then we will either balance this with a very healthy meal plan before/after or change elements of the request to include low fat or healthy alternatives to ingredients. But we do want them to enjoy themselves and we believe everything can be enjoyed in moderation.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Home of the Year 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Davers Court Care UK

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Loved the holistic approach to the onboard of new team members, showing them the whole operation and shadowing across the whole service. It was clear to see the team was motivated and engage in delivering the mission of Davers Court. Even though Davers Court is part of a large group one could tell there was a very independent spirit and style which has resulted in such a wonderful and caring home. Davers Court demonstrated real commitment and passion to personalising its approach to resident care.”

What makes your care home exceptionally attractive to residents? Davers Court has been rated as Outstanding by the CQC across the board and is a popular choice with local people. Home Manger Sally Shadbolt takes a holistic approach to leading her team to deliver the very best care for every resident. Sally strongly believes in Care UK’s values of passionate, caring and teamwork and has taken these one step further by encouraging her team, residents and stakeholders to create an extension to these values - the ‘Four Ds’- Detailed, Dependable, Dedicated and Diverse. Sally’s team is passionate about respecting the wishes of residents and enabling them to live each day in the way they want to. By using careful risk assessments, residents are empowered to make choices in what they want to do - from walking to the shops to fulfilling their lifetime ambition. One centenarian has flown in a glider, not once, but twice and loved every minute of it. Most days, Davers Court hosts visits from up to four dogs, which the residents love to stroke and see them playing with the greyhound Princess they adopted from the Dog’s Trust. Residents enjoy rickshaw rides around the town, one resident went to Blackpool where, as well as taking the sea air, he enjoyed a performance of his favourite show The Jersey Boys. A daily visit from the tipple trolley proved a big hit for residents in lockdown. Communication is key. Residents’ meetings empower people to express views and make requests. Meetings and conversations with residents and their families, care reviews and quality surveys are all recorded and reviewed to continuously enhance the care. For example, in response to such feedback, residents are given the opportunity to choose the colours and wallpapers for their lounges and dining rooms. During the pandemic, Sally continued her relative meetings virtually as well as giving updates by email and phone. The team also organised hundreds of video calls so residents could keep in touch with their loved ones. The use of ‘champions’ in the home also promotes best practice. These team members receive extra training in their area of interest and support others to develop their skills and knowledge in that area. For example, the Davers Court dementia champion helps colleagues and relatives to further understand what it may be like to live with dementia. All this contributes to the exceptional reputation the home enjoys.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

The Dignity & Respect Care Home of the Year 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Seymour Court Nursing and Care Home Mannamead Care

What special ways can care homes demonstrate dignity and respect to its residents? We feel that it is vital that the residents within our facility are stimulated, encouraged to thrive, and given the freedom and opportunity to flourish, despite living with a terminal condition. We are committed to injecting our thirst for life into palliative care viewed through a person-centred lens. Staff work in collaboration with the service user who is empowered and supported to make choices in all aspects of their care. Recognising that social interaction, privacy and control, personalisation, spirituality, and a home like environment are key to wellbeing at end of life, residents have been instrumental in the design of the building, interior design, furnishings, lighting, activities, pain management, spiritual wellbeing, nutrition and hydration, pet and art therapy, community involvement and music therapy. The team at Seymour Court demonstrate an extraordinary ability to deliver hope, control and dignity at an end-of-life scenario. Their phenomenal skill and approach provide the opportunity for residents and staff to work together to enable the individual to reach acceptance of the dying process and resolve any conflict or fulfil wishes in accordance with religious or cultural preference. Compassion is integral to their style of palliative care and is especially poignant in an emotionally charged environment. Everyone is committed, loyal and devoted to delivering exceptional end of life care and they achieve this by helping residents feel comforted and by affirming that his or her life has great value. They develop close and intense relationships with residents and families. They share laughter and tears, listen and not judge and help reduce physical and spiritual pain by maintaining the value of the human being until their last breath and beyond.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Seymour Court provided a strong range of evidence. Its achievements and the outcomes for those living at the home shone brightly. The Care Quality Commission noted: “The relationships between staff and people receiving support demonstrated dignity and respect at all times. A healthcare professional told us they felt the warmth of the staff and the environment ensured each person was treated with the utmost respect and dignity.” The home has several accreditations and the manager and her team have moved the home forward since its first inspection in 2018 and have secured an Outstanding rating in caring, the most relevant for the category.”

At all times the team considers individual wishes and needs, life circumstances and health choices and display an enthusiasm and willingness to please. They enshrine best practice and are concerned with empowering staff to focus on the needs of the residents by paying attention to detail on the simple choices which really make a difference. They use extensive, detailed life history work to achieve end of life outings and wishes, including writing eulogies, working with memory boxes, intense work with clergy to fulfil cultural and religious needs and tracing estranged relatives and friends to help deliver closure when required. Their focus is making the resident experience better care and thus creating a positive experience which will live on with their loved ones forever. Their main goal is to make sure that the resident has everything they need to negotiate their current episode of care in an open, transparent, and loving culture/ environment which displays empathy in every situation. They strive to ensure residents and loved ones are given the freedom and opportunity to participate in decisions about their health, care, treatment and what special comfort can be given to ensure a peaceful and complete passing.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Newcomer 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Sophie Roddick

Mull Hall, Sanctuary Care THE JUDGES’ VIEW “We believe that Sophie Roddick stood out due to her absolute commitment to each and every resident and she shines through as someone who really cares and goes above and beyond her role and always puts the residents first. She is a stellar nominee and such a deserving winner.”

What would you say to someone who is wondering about a career in social care? When I got the opportunity to work here at Mull Hall I was so excited and in the first few days I got to know all the residents – it was the most wonderful time and they were so excited to meet people. I’ve been here for a while now and I’ve just loved it so much. The best time was spending last Christmas here. It was the best time and such fun, everyone was dancing and singing. I’ve always wanted to work in care. When I was really young at primary school, when I was aged 10 or 11, we were allowed to go to a care home and it was the highlight of my week – I always wanted to go again. My grandmother worked in care until she was 69 and my mum was a social worker for 30 years, so care has always been part of my family life and I’ve always connected so well with older people. For me, where I am right now is where I am most happy. I like to be able to spend all the time I can with the residents – they have so much joy and love to talk to you about everything. It’s an honour to spend this time with them. They trust me to look after them and that really special to me. Our residents are just incredible people. They are always full of advice and have such great stories. And they really want to be around you too. It is so nice to be able to know exactly what their favourite things are - I can tell you their favourite songs from their weddings and their children’s names and it is so special when you can create that bond with people. They may not all remember who I am tomorrow, but I still know what they have told me and I can use that to comfort them. It’s really special to me that they trust me with that.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

The Sara Berrio Care Champion Award 2021 WINNER Tracy Hamilton

Community Integrated Care

What qualities does a care champion need to be really effective? Tracy Hamilton, Advanced Support Worker at Community Integrated Care, says I always say ‘this is just my job, it’s just what I do’ but when I reflect on what qualities I think make an effective care champion, the first thing that springs to mind is empathy. I think that it’s so important to be able to understand the people that you support and take the time to get to know them as individuals – find out about their values and interests, understand their body language and how they communicate. It’s crucial that you have an in depth understanding of them as a person, so that you can put yourself in their shoes and give them the unique care and support that they need. To me, care is always about learning because everyone is so different. As Carers and Support Workers, we need to have a real openness and willingness to learn and adapt the way we work. No two people are the same – they could have the same disabilities, similar backgrounds, similar interests - but they are still individuals and should be treated as such. You can’t assume that because something works for one person, it will automatically work for another. Therefore, I believe it’s important to always be re-evaluating the care that you give and looking for opportunities to improve. This includes asking for help from your team and learning from those around you. My experiences, especially over the past 18 months, have also taught me that to succeed in care, you must be really resilient. There will always be challenging situations, but you have to be able to work through them. When you do come up against barriers you’ve got to look for alternative ways to approach things, keeping your ultimate goal in mind. For me, that goal is always to fulfil the needs of the people we support, put a smile on their faces, and know that I’ve done my best by them so that they can live their best lives possible.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Tracy spoke from the heart. Her passion for care and improving the lives of the people she supports is clear and she strives to ensure that their quality of life is enhanced. She doesn’t let anything stand in her way and works tenaciously to ensure any barriers are overcome. Even when suffering immensely herself, having been hospitalised with Covid-19, she ensured that she sat (complete with oxygen tank) with a person she supports who had also been hospitalised and placed on end of life. Despite struggling to look after her own life she ensured the person had a friendly face and did not die alone – after all, these are not service users, they’re family.”

At the heart of it, I think that to be an effective care champion, it’s really all about the compassion and commitment that you have for the people you support. It’s about going above and beyond and always looking out for them – whether that’s helping them achieve a long-term goal, being by their side through difficult times, or just making them a nice cup of tea and taking the time to listen to them. Anyone can be a carer but to really stand out, you have to put your whole heart into the job.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Leadership 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Mark Adams

Community Integrated Care THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Mark’s integrity and passion for the organisation and those it supports and employs shone through and hearing about the journey he has enabled his organisation to undertake and the commitment to those they support is humbling. He has been a visible leader for our sector through the pandemic. He displays many traits of a great leader – assertive, transparent and empathetic with a calming manner, bringing people on the journey with him. A visible leader with a strong presence and a real advocate for the sector.”

It is sometimes said that care leaders need different qualities to inspire their team compared to leaders in other sectors? Do you agree/disagree giving examples and reasons? Mark Adams, Chief Executive Officer at Community Integrated Care says: In recent years, there have been and continue to be significant challenges present across all sectors. Whether that be Coronavirus related or not, it’s clear all organisations need to foster inspiring leadership, not only to thrive but to survive. When we look back at the story of the last 18 months for our charity, it isn’t one of just leadership from our senior team, it is the story of 6,000 people all working with dedication to do the very best for the people we support, look out for each other, and support our communities. What sets the social care sector apart from others is the vital need for an overwhelming feeling of compassion, empathy and values-driven purpose which may not be required in more commercial settings. Nevertheless, I have been inspired by the continued resilience, agility and dedication that I have witnessed from across a wide range of sectors. A leader needs to bring people together. I’m proud to have seen our teams work in collaboration with colleagues from within and outside the sector, whether that be at a local level through community support or working together to influence change on a national level. We’ve had support from the biggest names in sport through to local businesses, all of whom have helped us amplify our voice and develop new solutions to enable the people we support to live their best lives possible. Social care is rightly a crucial part of our society, it touches so many aspects of people’s lives and is a key driver for the economy. That’s why I believe we shouldn’t be afraid of looking outside of our sector for inspiration to develop new solutions – especially when it comes to creating innovative digital solutions that could shape the future of social care.

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Care Home Group – Over 10 settings 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Hallmark Care Homes How does a larger Group make every resident and every staff member feel special and individual? At Hallmark Care Homes, we tailor our care to each individual. Prior to moving in, residents are encouraged to complete an ‘About Me’ booklet that gives us a valuable insight into the residents’ likes, dislikes, their routine and life history. This helps us to start building a meaningful relationship and plan activities and meals we know they will enjoy. With the development of our Hallmark Tree of Life Lifestyles Strategy, our aim is to provide opportunities that are empowering and help people remain independent, connected and happy. This is a move away from traditional ‘activities’, where residents may sometimes feel like spectators of entertainment, to a more personcentred approach. We invest annually in technology, refurbishments, training, reward schemes and the creation of a number of specialist roles with the focus on driving quality in the lived experience of the residents, across every aspect of their lives. Our team members health and well-being are incredibly important to us. During the national outbreak of Covid-19, Hallmark proactively supported their teams ordering sufficient PPE, putting vulnerable team on furlough, offering counselling for all team along with a support fund people could apply for if they needed to go into self-isolation and were struggling financially as a result. This financial year, we also increased our team member’s salaries in reflection of their efforts during the pandemic so that all employees in England are paid at or above the Real Living Wage.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “The judges were inspired by Hallmark’s commitment to creativity, ingenuity and having an entrepreneurial spirit across its homes. Its forwardthinking work with Marie Curie and its end-of-life care strategy impressed the judges along with its commitment to preventing social isolation as well as its work supporting intergenerational activities. The group demonstrated clear leadership during the Covid challenges and proactively supported its teams with a number of measures, including increasing pay levels. Hallmark has a clear commitment to how it values people and positively impacts the lives of residents, combined with investment in its well-trained and dedicated staff – these made it a clear winner.”

All of our team are supported with continuous learning and development and award schemes so that they feel motivated to deliver excellent relationship-centred care to the residents. This includes an annual awards ceremony which includes an Individuality award and Long Service Awards, and we are especially proud to have over 119 team members who have worked for us for 10 years or more.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Home Group – Under 10 settings 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Stow Healthcare Group

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Stow Healthcare provides bespoke training and support for its staff through regular updates, blogs and webinars. Furthermore, it works with local students at sixth forms, colleges and universities to help promote health and social care. It has supported the local community further by partnering with Essex County Council with its Covid designated unit. It puts residents’ needs first by ensuring they are involved in the running of ‘their’ home and promote continuous dialogue with residents to ensure they feel safe and secure. Stow Healthcare has transformed ratings at the troubled homes it has taken on, and the strong focus on communication and community make Stow Healthcare our winner.”

What are the challenges facing a smaller Group and how have you so successfully overcome them? As a smaller care provider, we don’t have the luxury of having people appointed into a myriad of expert roles; on the plus side, this means we have staff with a wide variety of skills and who are capable of turning their hand to many different things. We use this to our advantage. We have the ability to adapt and implement ideas at the drop of a hat – this is something that a group of 50 or 100 homes can’t do, and we enjoy our flexibility. It can be tough to have the ability to balance the strategic and the every day operational elements of care as a smaller provider, but getting this right is key to our success.

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Lifetime Achievement in Care 2021 WINNER

SPONSORED BY

Kevin Hewlett

Hale Place Care Solutions What are the qualities needed to sustain a long and successful career in social care? You can only sustain a long career in social care if you truly love what you do. This love must be strong, like a marriage; there will be plenty of challenges along the way, daily frustrations but the binding love you have with your role, your duty and your service users will eclipse everything. The pleasure you’ll derive from your achievements will bring joy to your heart at the end of every working day. To love what you do, as a social care professional, you must first recognise your true worth to others, your value and your beautiful humanity that burns brightly within. Look in the mirror at the end of every day and smile knowingly. I believe that, to achieve meaningful success and longevity within our profession, we must also have opportunities to achieve our potential because there must be great purpose in our lives to inspire and drive us to be the best we can be. You will know you have discovered your calling in social care when you live and breathe to help improve the lives of vulnerable people. What greater purpose can there be? People working within social care face continuous challenges which never abate. With the resources at our disposal, the expectations of regulators, service users and their families often seem unachievable. It is, therefore, imperative that we take time in our busy schedules to appreciate all that is good within our vocation, value our colleagues and realise that we are the very best humanistic group of people in our country who have a very special place in other people’s lives.

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Over three decades Kevin has made an outstanding difference to the quality of life of the people who live and work in the care services he has owned and managed. His values are to be admired and respected, and, as a consequence, his influence spreads far beyond Hale Place. He is, and will continue to be, an example to others working in social care, inspiring all who seek to give those they care for their best lives possible. As Kevin says “happy lives for everyone” is his core value.”

Be inspired by all the good people who work in social care but especially your co-workers, people I have the deepest respect for, and from whom I have derived the strength and motivation to challenge myself and perform better at each stage of my career. I love this profession, I love the people who work in it and we do the most rewarding work. I am inspired to want to be the best for the benefit of others less fortunate, I am earnestly humbled by the commitment of all my colleagues, and it has been a pleasure working with the most beautiful people for over 34 years. CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Care Personality 2021 SPONSORED BY

WINNER Pete Calveley

Barchester Healthcare

THE JUDGES’ VIEW “Pete provided early and decisive leadership during 2021’s greatest challenge – the Covid pandemic – both for Barchester Healthcare and for the wider social care sector. At Barchester he quickly recognised the challenges and established a range of communication channels and actions to care effectively for Barchester’s residents, relatives and 17,000-strong workforce, while opening and integrating 43 new homes during the lockdown period, and overseeing Barchester’s Good and Outstanding Care Quality Commission ratings, improving to their highest level ever. Pete has also been hugely influential as a knowledgeable and persuasive spokesperson for the sector, working with the government and wider care industry in developing a strategy for vaccination implementation, and undertaking considerable media responsibilities.”

Care ‘Personalities’ have to adapt to changing circumstances if they are to be successful. In what ways have you changed and adapted to current circumstances? “Living through the pandemic was an incredibly difficult experience for everyone involved in the care sector, from residents and relatives to nurses and carers and all the operations and support teams – we were all living day to day, adapting to the changes as they happened. We all knew we had an important job to do in keeping our residents, some of the most vulnerable members of society, protected. At Barchester, we took the decision to lock down our homes much earlier than the Government advised, because we knew it was the right thing to do. “What we learnt during the pandemic was that together, we can achieve anything. Despite everything they were facing, our amazing teams found the strength and resilience to keep going through some very difficult times. Our support teams sprang into action working exceptionally long hours to help our homes navigate the ever-changing guidance and to give them the necessary tools to do their jobs, and to support worried friends and family who were separated from their loved ones. “The additional help our teams needed took many different forms – we quickly invested in more tech to keep families connected. We developed a whole host of virtual events and activities to keep residents connected with the wider world when they could no longer go on outings. We also created a bank of additional support tools for our staff to cope with the difficulties they were facing in caring and acting as surrogate family for our residents. “From my GP training, it was obvious to me that as soon as a vaccine became available, everyone living and working in the care sector should be vaccinated as a priority to help keep all residents safe. It was a huge relief to me that our voices were heard and that the law has now been changed to make it mandatory for all care home workers to be vaccinated. “I am immensely proud of what we at Barchester achieved throughout the pandemic, and still deal with on an ongoing basis. The depth of collaboration across our business and the way in which people selflessly did whatever was asked of them, and more, will stay with me forever. It was a tough time but out of that adversity there are positives - we have all seen what we are capable of when it really counts.”

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Main sponsor

Category sponsors

Programme sponsor

Photobooth sponsor

MEET THE SPONSORS

Meet our category sponsors... Avery Healthcare Avery Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing UK care groups, currently with 59 operational homes, and others under construction. Avery provides residential, dementia and respite care, with half its homes also offering nursing care. We continually strive to innovate and differentiate through quality of care, and a proactive focus on resident well-being and their lifestyle and our offering is differentiated with sector-leading programmes in resident services, well-being and activity and local community engagement which is meaningful to both the residents and their families. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Having been involved with the National Care Awards for the past several years, we are honoured to support the organisation which recognises the excellent work that goes on in the healthcare sector. With the effects of the pandemic still taking its toll on our staff and residents, we believe that it is as important as ever that we bring people together, on occasions such as the National Care Awards, to reflect on what we have learnt and how we can move on positively. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? To continue to support the healthcare sector, we will ensure that we maintain strong partnerships with other providers – highlighting that we are all in this together, and with one collective goal to protect our loved ones. At Avery Healthcare, we will also continue to lobby for better recognition for social care and showcase what a fantastic job our workforce continue to do throughout the year. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? The UK’s social care sector has been severely strained and tested during the Covid-19 pandemic. In some areas the pandemic has made us much stronger, and we are seeking to use this to re-instil confidence in the sector throughout 2021 for both existing and future residents and employees through further investment in innovation, and technology alongside continuous professional development for all staff levels regardless of role with well-being at its heart. At Avery, we are proud to obtain such a resilient workforce, and we will certainly learn from the importance of contingency planning. In the future, we will also be mindful of those who have been deeply affected by the pandemic and offer support and guidance where needed. At Avery, we have a fantastic team of leadership which we will continue to harbour as we continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

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Meet our category sponsors... Barchester Healthcare Barchester Healthcare is one of the UK’s largest care providers predominantly supporting older people to live with dignity, respect and to continue to celebrate life. Barchester provides a premium care experience. Our core values of Respect, Integrity, Responsibility, Passion and Empowerment have been developed with our staff throughout Barchester. We understand that the best kind of care and support is one delivered by a whole team approach, and we have an internal ethos of #BarchesterTogether. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Caring Times is a trusted, well-respected title that represents the opinions and interests of the long term care sector. We felt it was important to support one of the most influential voices of our industry. The National Care Awards is the longest established annual awards for the care sector celebrating the very best people in the care sector, highlighting excellence and rewarding those who work tirelessly to provide consistently outstanding care. We think it is important to celebrate the pioneers of our sector and to thank them for their contribution. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? We will continue to invest in all aspects of our business. We will invest in our staff by providing the best possible training, and we are proud to be an above National Living Wage employer. We will continue to invest in our new build programme to bring our high quality care to more locations, along with further employment and we will continue to invest in our existing homes and hospitals to ensure they are the most comfortable for our residents and patients including the best facilities for residents, patients and staff and new technology to support the delivery of care. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? Our goals for 2022 are: • To continue to develop our passionate, dedicated staff through our comprehensive training programme and to develop and maximise collaboration across the business • To continue to support, recognise and reward our amazing individuals and teams with training, guidance and our sector leading Celebrating Success programme • To bring our luxury, best-in-class care home offering to new locations throughout the UK • To be constantly focussed on the delivery of the best possible care investing in the latest thinking to support this • To continue to invest in technology to develop our life enrichment offer, including virtual events and initiatives to support our residents and patients to celebrate life.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our category sponsors... Blueleaf Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? It is important to Blueleaf that we support the National Care Awards because it recognises those individuals who have demonstrated unfaltering commitment to their care homes and residents. As one of the most prestigious events within the care sector, the awards provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate the determination and resilience of the care sector. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? The UK is facing a national crisis with 6,500 care homes, totaling 140,000 beds, at risk of closure over the next five years. Which is why ‘business as usual’ isn’t an option for any of us. When we look at the very best of our industry, we see a consistent pattern: a virtuous cycle where thoughtfully created built environments create the conditions for great operations; and great operations generate the reputation, ratings, occupancy and fees to continually invest in the built environment. That’s why we’ve created a new approach to working with our customers: two programmes that deliver new strategic approaches to product supply and the built environment - designed to work together. We want to be a part of raising standards and performance in the sector, helping our clients make a real difference to the later lives of people in their community; and to grow as a result. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? There’s no point glossing over it - we all face unprecedented challenges in delivering high quality residential care. The pandemic has shone a light on the social care sector and the value it brings to society. However, it has also highlighted its fragility. The pandemic dented demand, reducing occupancy levels significantly and placing cashflow under enormous strain. There is also a huge staffing crisis. Yet, faced with these challenges, good quality social care has never been more essential as our ageing population grows exponentially. We learned operational excellence has never been more critical to maintaining and growing a sustainable care home business. Rather than just focus on the essentials such as cost, compliance and quick delivery, we must now also focus heavily on connecting the right products with the most streamlined processes, knowledge and insight. This is so that care homes can be supported in achieving the absolute most from their budget - not just for today for cost saving reasons, but into the future for improved clinical outcomes.

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Meet our category sponsors... Care UK We are proud of our long heritage of providing exceptional care to older people. Over 6,500 families trust us to deliver the very best in residential, nursing and dementia care and we take this responsibility very seriously. We are passionate about quality and maintain some of the strongest regulator ratings, customer satisfaction and employee engagement in the sector. 18 of our homes are rated as outstanding by the CQC. We have also invested in growing much needed care home capacity. In the last decade, we have opened fifty new homes and made significant investment in upgrading our older homes. We place great importance on the development of our team members. More than 700 people are currently in training through our apprenticeship scheme in areas ranging from our bespoke chef academy to a course designed to bring on talented colleagues to be our home managers of the future. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? These awards are one of the most highly respected in the social care sector and we are proud to be a sponsor. We choose the nursing category as our way of acknowledging the fact that we have almost a thousand talented, hardworking registered nurses working for us. Many have grown their career with Care UK – taking advantage of our leadership development programmes to make the jump from nursing to management roles such as clinical lead, home manager or even regional director. By supporting the National Care Awards we are proud to play a role in showcasing all the outstanding work across the care home sector. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? We will continue to support awards such as these as we feel one of the key needs of the sector at this moment is to celebrate just how incredible the social care workforce is. Awards help to maintain morale, shows society how caring roles makes such a difference to peoples’ lives, is a fulfilling profession and highlights career opportunities for those who wish to progress. We will also continue to work behind the scenes with Government and other key decision makers to get the best outcomes for all care home providers. During the pandemic our Chief Executive lobbied government for sector support, including test and trace capability, financial support for the sector and the vaccination programme. In partnership with organisations like Care England, we will continue to lobby on topics to ensure there is a diverse, vibrant and well-resourced care home sector for the future. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? Our strategy remains unchanged from before the pandemic – to continue to grow by developing new homes and delivering quality care. The pandemic reiterated that we have incredible people working for us. Job titles and grades went out of the window as people worked round the clock to do whatever needed to be done to keep residents safe and happy and we want to celebrate our people as much as we can. We learnt the value of growing our own talent and also looking more creatively at the types of people we can encourage to join our teams. Young people and those working in sectors like travel and hospitality have all made an enormous contribution to our service in the last 18 months and we look forward to welcoming even more of them to join us in 2022 as we grow further with another three new homes opening in the next 18 months.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our category sponsors... Caring Homes Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Caring Homes is an independent national network of residential, nursing and dementia homes providing person-centred care. We are a family business, established in 1994 by Helena and Paul Je¬ffery. Everything we do is directed by the needs of the individuals we care for and their families. By caring for the whole person and their unique personality, likes and interests, we create better bonds, more stimulating communities, safer environments, and better lives. At Caring Homes, we are driven to make a difference to people’s lives. I thank our colleagues who have worked tirelessly to provide exceptional levels of care under challenging circumstances. I am proud to say that at Caring Homes, I am surrounded by professional, skilled, dedicated, and compassionate colleagues who are willing to put the care of our residents first. Our colleagues support and commitment has never been more heartfelt, nor has their commitment ever been more vital. We are delighted to support the National Care Awards which recognise those very important people that undertake the everyday hard work at the coal face of care. Supporting the award for Best Dementia Care Manager is particularly pertinent this year as we launch our Dementia Strategy. Our aim is to reduce stigma associated with Dementia, provide outstanding care for everyone living with dementia in our homes and raise awareness and understanding about dementia within the communities that we serve. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? Our values point to us all taking accountability for our areas of the business and encourage us to think differently and do “extraordinary” things, therefore “push the boundaries” and stretch ourselves to deliver excellent quality of care and business performance. At Caring Homes, we continue to focus on building and developing our teams, we realise that our colleagues are our most important asset and that to deliver Outstanding Care requires us to ensure we have engaged and happy colleagues. Our ethos is to employ people who stay, develop and grow with us. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? We understand dementia is different for everyone, so the care our residents receive is too Caring Homes Dementia Strategy builds on the progress we have made over 26 years where we have continually transformed our services and improved outcomes for people living in with dementia. Our challenge is to go even further for the people we support and share our commitments to people living with dementia including residents, their families, carers and our colleagues. We understand the importance of working together with our care teams, residents, their relatives and friends as well as external professionals and the local community. As such their feedback has helped inform our Dementia Strategy and specialised approach to our dementia care.

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Meet our category sponsors... Compass Associates Compass Associates is a leading recruitment consultancy who specialise in the independent care markets, covering Elderly, Nursing, Residential and Domiciliary for all mid-senior hires. The team are split by geographical location, to ensure full UK market coverage. Since our inception, we strive to provide an unparalleled level of service, achieved through in-depth industry knowledge, dedicated consultants who have spent years specialising in the markets they recruit into, and a leading network acquired through events attendance, contribution, and sponsorship. The Care Home team are one of the most respected, trusted, and sought-after names in the recruitment industry who have a track record of delivery time and again. Compass Associates has 6 core values: Professionalism & Integrity; Teamwork; Flexibility & Adaptability; Entrepreneurial Spirit; Delivery of Service and Professional Development. Our Mission has been to exceed the expectations of our customers by providing a high-quality, value-added service, which the team realise by living the company values in their day-to-day work. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? We have supported the Care Awards for nearly a decade, and consider this prestigious event within the very DNA of the sector, such is its importance. Year after year, the team are proud to be able to attend and rub-shoulders with some of the most revered keyworkers in society, celebrating the work of the care sector. Not only does it give an opportunity to learn about the sector, speak with thought-leaders and influencers, but ensures valuable interaction in the most personable of industries. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? Compass Associates will continue to support the industry by ensuring we are there whenever a Client picks up the phone needing outstanding staff; and want to reassure job seekers that we will do everything in our power to help you secure the right job for you, even during these most challenging of times. We understand the importance of the industry, and the need to make sure the right people are in the right role to support the most vulnerable in society. It is what we have always done, and will continue to do. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? Post Covid it is essential that our team modifies in line with sector evolution, and adapts to the increased demands on its service – particularly to address the question on recruitment. Health and safety has never been more critical, residents experiences never more important. Leaders within elderly care are the torch carriers for this new world and it is our aim in 2022 and beyond to ensure that our standards, precision and value add is as dynamic now as it has been throughout.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our category sponsors... Domus Recruitment Domus Recruitment was established in 2009, when the goal was set out to bring exceptionally talented people from the recruitment industry together to provide a market leading service to the care and healthcare sectors. Our approach is consultative, professional and results driven and provided by knowledgeable, highly experienced consultants. We’re here to serve! For us, it’s all about you, we’re with you every step of the way and your success is our success! Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Supporting the National Care Awards is always such an honour for Domus Recruitment. It’s an opportunity to give back and we find it a humbling experience to see the amazing people who are truly remarkable ambassadors for their industry. We sponsor the Care Leadership Award which is particularly relevant to our position in the market so to present the Award is always a highly enjoyable experience. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? We will continue to find the best talent that the industry has to offer. Over the last 12 years we have built some really meaningful, trusted partnerships. One of the biggest challenges the sector faces now more than ever is staff shortages so we feel we can play a vital role in the recovery. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? I think more so than ever, our empathy for the people we serve is huge. There are clearly some central government issues that aren’t addressing the Social Care challenges and funding needs. Sadly we can’t change that. As recruiters, the best thing we can do is find great people for Domus who have a value base that is befitting the sector. If our work can have a positive impact, that is our contribution. Our client’s and candidate’s success is our success so 2022 will see a continued commitment to the highest possible levels of service and in turn this will benefit Domus and everyone that works here. A huge thank you to the amazing team at Caring Times! Here’s to a great start to 2022!!!!

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Meet our category sponsors... Hallmark Care Homes Established in 1997, Hallmark Care Homes is a multi-award-winning care provider that has three ‘Outstanding’ homes. We provide industry-leading, residential, nursing and dementia care to over 1,000 residents across 19 locations in England and South Wales. As a family-run care provider, we understand the importance of nurturing relationships and so all of our care is centred around the values of Togetherness, Quality, Openness, Individuality and Growth. We have won over 100 awards over the last 24 years for the quality of the care we provide and we receive exceptional feedback from residents and relatives. This year receiving the highest recommendation rating in the top 20 mid-size care home groups for the sixth year running with a review score 9.7 out of 10 on Carehome.co.uk. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? The National Care Awards gives us a great opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our wonderful team members and support them with their personal development. At Hallmark Care Homes, we understand that in order to provide Outstanding care, you need an Outstanding team who are rewarded and valued for all that they do! How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? We will continue to be there for those who need our care and support and invest in our services so we can truly deliver excellent care. We will also continue to work collaboratively with the care sector and charities such as Care England, Championing Social Care and The Care Workers Charity to show people that care homes are amazing places to live and are run by special people. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? Lots of innovative ideas have been shared as a result of the pandemic with the provision of our Innovation Challenge, as our teams have had to undertake new ways of working. We have started to gather these ideas, and are working closely with our team members to implement them, with the aim of improving our care provision across our current and future businesses.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our category sponsors... HC-One, The Kind Care Company Founded in 2011, HC-One, The Kind Care Company, is the UK’s leading provider of residential, nursing, dementia and specialist care services. With over 300 care homes, 20,000 Colleagues and over 14,000 Residents throughout the UK, HC-One strives to be the first-choice care home serving at the heart of each of the communities in which it has homes by delivering the kindest and highest quality care. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? We were proud to sponsor the Dignity and Respect Care Home of the Year award at the National Care Awards for another consecutive year. It is incredibly important to recognise and celebrate the excellence demonstrated by inspiring teams and individuals across the sector who go above and beyond to provide consistently exceptional care. We believe it is important to highlight and reward those who work tirelessly to provide outstanding care, and acknowledge the pioneers of our sector and to thank them for their contribution. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to celebrate and showcase our Colleagues’ achievements. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? Now is a crucial time for the sector with social care reform very high up on the Government’s agenda. We are engaging with the Government and wider stakeholders to help to shape the future of the sector, covering everything from funding, through to enhancing quality across the sector and how we reward and recognise the incredible work of social care colleagues. We look forward to continuing this work throughout 2022. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? We have been heartened by, and are grateful for the support and understanding of our Colleagues, Residents, their loved ones, and local partners throughout the pandemic. It has been a difficult time for everyone involved. Looking ahead to 2022, we look forward to doing everything we can to be true to our mission of being the 1st choice for families, our Colleagues and our commissioners, serving at the heart of each of our communities, including continuing to invest in our homes, our Colleagues and the care we provide.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Meet our category sponsors... Lifetime Training At Lifetime Training we pride ourselves on delivering high quality training through outstanding service to 20,000 learners per year. Our 26 years’ experience in apprenticeship delivery in our core sectors of Health and Social Care, Hospitality, Retail and Active Leisure have built us a strong reputation recognised by the many award achievements we have to our credit. With a national delivery team, we can scale our delivery to the requirement of our many employer partners, whatever your size. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Supporting the Care Awards is important to Lifetime as they are recognised as the sector leading Awards, and a true celebration of the teams and individuals who give themselves tirelessly to improving the sector. It is a true pleasure to be part of such an uplifting evening, which recognises the heroes of the sector in a truly inspirational way. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? At Lifetime we are dedicated to supporting our partners in rebuilding through skills development. We are passionate that investing in developing people though industry recognised training will not only improve personal lives, but also bring business benefits. We also offer the UKs No.1 apprenticeship recruitment service, that will support those seeking employment with an opportunity to gain a lifechanging position and their first steps to an excellent career in the Care sector. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? The pandemic has taught us the importance of being adaptable. Our aim for 2022 is to continue to adapt and work closely with our partners to provide high quality and impactful apprenticeship training that supports their business and their people.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our category sponsors... Ontex Healthcare Ontex is a leading global provider of continence care products, best known in the UK and Ireland for its brands iD and Lille. Our company ethos is to make a difference by building a world where everyone has access to affordable, personal hygiene products. That’s the world we are trying to build, step by step. We want to create new experiences in personal hygiene for our customers and consumers, while developing our people and delivering sustainable value to our shareholders, partners, customers and suppliers. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Supporting the Caring Times awards is always important to us. We know care homes face tremendous time and budget pressures, even more so in the wake of a pandemic. Incontinence is prevalent and costly in every care home and we and we want to contribute to reducing overspend, alleviating time pressures and improve dignity for carers and residents. We also really value our relationship with Caring Times magazine and want to support vital and worthy initiatives like this, which help to give something back. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? As we move forward as a nation to try and rebuild our economy, our focus and pledge is to support care staff in the management of continence care. We have the largest team of Nurses in the field, so one of the ways we can help is to assist with virtual or face to face training on accurate product assessments, product usage and best practice. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the world is fragile, and sustainability is a fundamental part of our strategy moving forward. We aim to achieve zero waste to landfill and carbon neutral operations by 2030. This year the company has set out an upscaled sustainability strategy with three clear goals: Recycling and recycled packaging - 100% of all packaging will be recyclable by 2030 and they will increase renewable and recycled plastic in their plastic packaging. Zero production to waste - By 2030 all Ontex production sites will have zero waste to landfill and they will be in a position to turn waste into resources. Circular solutions - Circularity will be a prime design consideration for absorbent hygiene products. To find out more please visit ontex.com

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Meet our category sponsors... P&G Professional Procter & Gamble Professional is the away-from-home division of Procter & Gamble, serving the foodservice, hospitality and care industries. P&G Professional offers complete solutions utilising its parent company’s scale, trusted brands and strengths in market and consumer understanding. P&G Professional features such brands as Fairy Professional, Flash Professional, Ariel Professional, Febreze Professional and Lenor Professional. With over 110 years of industry experience, P&G Professional understands the challenges independent professionals face when it comes to cleaning and creates products that complement one another and deliver specific needs. P&G Professional’s mission is to help businesses thrive with help from its trusted brands and products. Through a customer-centric approach to sales, innovation and support, P&G Professional delivers easy to use, unique products to its customers. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? At P&G Professional, we understand the hard work and commitment demonstrated by care sector staff up and down the country. Given the trials and tribulations of the past few years, it is now more important than ever to recognise the achievements of the industry and congratulate those who have worked tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Care Awards is a fantastic opportunity to give thanks to the leaders within the industry, who are in turn helping provide an excellent care service. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? As we start to rebuild our economy, the care sector is in need of easy time-saving solutions to help bring about a successful new year. Cleaning and hygiene practices take up a large amount of time in care homes. If these everyday tasks could be made more time-efficient, this could be a great help for care home staff around the UK who are struggling to manage under the pressures of the sector. P&G Professional provides a range of products, such as Flash Professional, that achieve an excellent standard of cleaning and require only simple training. These easy to use cleaning products can lend a helpful hand to care homes across the country, by streamlining their cleaning and hygiene procedures, and in turn helping them thrive in these challenging times. Trusted brands, such as Flash Professional and Fairy Professional, ensure an impeccable level of hygiene is achieved upon first clean, so as not to waste any valuable time. P&G Professional’s trusted brands and products form the perfect line-up for a clean, safe and efficiently run establishment, helping care homes and their employees thrive despite the current industry challenges. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? The pandemic has certainly tested the industry, providing numerous lessons and opportunities for development along the way. Since the outbreak of Covid-19 back in March 2020, the sector has been playing a game of catch up, exhaustedly trying to cope with the ever-changing public health environment. Looking forward to the next year, our emphasis is on preparedness. In other words, the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us that it is of utmost importance to always be prepared for any circumstance or possible eventuality. Of course, there will be unexpected challenges, but once again we will learn from these and become equipped to deal with the dilemmas of an uncertain yet vibrant industry.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

Meet our category sponsors... Signature Senior Lifestyle Founded in 2006, Signature Senior Lifestyle is an award-winning developer and operator of premium care homes across the UK. The company is owned by Revera Inc, a Canadian-based owner, operator and investor in the senior living sector which acquired the business in 2018. Signature combines award-winning accommodation, technology and amenities with exceptional person-centered care that puts the individual first. Until recently, Signature’s focus of operation has been London and the Home Counties, however in July 2021 Signature and Care UK announced that they are taking over management of all of Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare’s homes in the UK, as Sunrise Senior Living US focuses its growth and development within North America. Signature will welcome 20 homes (18 Sunrise and 2 Gracewell), to its portfolio, spanning as far as Manchester in the north to Bournemouth in the south. Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? We are proud to support these prestigious awards, as ultimately we think it’s vital that we recognise and celebrate the hard work of the sector. This is particularly poignant following the unforeseen challenges of the past 24 months, where providers and staff across the industry have gone above and beyond in the face of adversity to ensure that residents are safe and looked after. It has not been easy and as an industry, we should all be extremely proud of our response. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? In 2020 we launched the #Claphforcarehomes initiative to help show support for our colleagues across the sector – we will certainly be looking to deliver more promotional activities like this. A large part of our work in 2021 has also been around reassurance and shifting attitudes towards care. Many people still have an outdated view of what care is like and we have been working hard to change this. We will continue to engage with the local communities where we operate, shining a light on care homes and helping to drive wider perception change of the industry. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? The pandemic accelerated our investment in technology, from iPads and digital communication platforms to hotelstyle TV, reduced touchpoint entry and circadian lighting designed to help our residents living with dementia. We will continue this into 2022 and beyond as we believe it is important to keep evolving – we currently have an innovation hub in our Wandsworth care home, where we will trial new technologies that can improve the resident experience and create even happier, healthier homes.

The 23rd National Care Awards | CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT

Meet our category sponsors... We Care Group Why was supporting the National Care Awards important to you? Supporting the Care Awards is crucial to encourage the rising talent in our industry. As a growing company with a desire to become the employer of choice, we want to support our industry and staff by encouraging excellence and passion for care. To do that, we need to position our company within the care industry by recognising and celebrating excellence in care and what better place than the National Care Awards. How will you continue to support the sector as we start to rebuild our economy? WCG is committed to invest in our staff’s training and development. Our aim is to support the economy by encouraging each of our employees to develop and become leaders in the industry. What lessons are you going to take from the pandemic as part of your goals and strategy for 2022? The pandemic has taught us the importance of having a strong and resilient workforce. It’ is just as important as the quality of care and wellbeing of our residents. We are placing our residents and staff at the heart of our strategy by increasing our workforce to support recruitment and retention. We have built a strong HR and recruitment team who will ensure that moving forward we can become the employer of choice, making us a great company to work in. A company that understands and values people. We have new systems in place to encourage a healthy work environment, balance and support.

CELEBRATION SUPPLEMENT | The 23rd National Care Awards

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