A Community Centre in Nottingham is celebrating after being named the Best Care Team in the country.
The Indian Community Centre was up for two awards and took home the top title of National Care Awards 2014 Best Care Team. They were shortlisted because of the commitment to the people in the community, even in the face of adversity. They proved willing to go above and beyond what’s needed of them. There were also praised for the team’s achievement in ESOL qualifications gained through a development programme.
Winners of the National Care Awards were presented with their trophies by Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford at a Gala Night held on Friday 28 November at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel in London, attended by 700 guests.
The National Care Awards is an annual event organised by Caring Times magazine, a management magazine for the social care sector and there are four or five finalists in each category and three independent judges.
The judges said the Indian Community Centre “provided a flexible and innovative service which enables and brings together the entire community. This is achieved by a resourceful and inspirational team who push the boundaries to deliver truly integrated and person centred care and support”.
Cllr Alex Norris, portfolio holder for Adults and Health, said: “I’m extremely pleased that the Indian Community Centre has been recognised for its outstanding work. The fact that we had seven nominations is testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved. Caring isn’t just a career, it’s a vocation and Amardeep Bhattal is clearly very extraordinary in his approach to looking after those in our city who need extra support to live a full life. I want to congratulate Amardeep and his staff at The Indian Community Centre and all those who were shortlisted. Most importantly, I want thank them for what they do in and around our communities.”
It’s been a successful year for Nottingham City Council’s Adult Provision service in Care Awards 2014. In total there were seven nominations across three awarding bodies: the National Care Awards, The National Dementia Care Awards, and the Great East Midland Care Awards.
Among the others who were nominated to take on some of the country’s best people in care was Sara Freestone, a JackDawe Homecare Worker. She was up for Best Care Trainee after working to help build relationships between homecare workers and a gentleman with dementia.
Mandy Oliver, Service Provision Manager for the Intake Reablement Team and the Nottingham Emergency Homecare Service, was short-listed for the award of Best Homecare Manager. Her team’s working skills, positive support and citizen focused approach to management won her the short-listing.
Sarah George, Care Worker L3 at the Cherry Trees Residential Care Centre, was shortlisted for the Best Frontline Leaders Award for going above and beyond to ensure engagement for all of residents at the Cherry Trees Centre.
Paul Mason and the Community Café at the Willows Day Centre were nominated for Best Care Innovator. Paul identified the lack of open access services for the residents across the Beechdale estate, as well as the lack of a healthy and reasonably priced place for people to eat there. Despite receiving no funding at all, Paul and his team managed to pull off the impossible, and provide a caring and safe environment for citizens to access food and advice from local support agencies.
Chas Lindon, care worker Level 3 at Long Meadow Day Centre, was shortlisted in the category of Best Care Worker. Chas’s dedication to support colleagues using his personal time, and his initiative in taking the lead when necessary, secured him the shortlisting.
Nottingham City Council’s Adult Social Care Provision has a service wide ethos of dedication to quality of care and person centred services. This has secured Nottingham City as a leader in quality of care, achieving the most nominations from one single body. It is testament to the excellent services that Nottingham City’s Adult Social Care Provision, and moreover the excellent staff Nottingham City employs.