Care UK achieves excellence at the Care Home Awards

Care UK was the most awarded provider at this year’s Care Home Awards, taking away eight accolades following the ceremony.  

The Care Home Awards, which are seen as sector-wide recognition of care provider excellence, are held annually. The categories celebrate innovation and excellence in care home management, operation and delivery in the UK. 

Overall, Care UK received recognition in the following categories:

• Winner – Asterbury Place, Outstanding Care Provider in a Group
• Winner – Care UK, Best Care Home Marketing, Advertising or PR Activities
• Winner – The Potteries, Best Covid-19 Response
• Winner – Perry Manor, Best for Specialist Care
• Winner – Sway Place, Best for Wellbeing
• Highly Commended – Weald Heights, Best for Nursing Care
• Highly Commended – Metchley Manor, Best for Wellbeing
• Highly Commended – Franklin House, Best Facilities Management, Maintenance or Housekeeping Team

Care UK’s approach to fulfilling lives was a major contributor to the success of the awards nominations, with entries highlighting the importance of not only residents’ choice in their own care and way of living – including the continuation of hobbies and wishes being fulfilled– but also highlighting the different levels of specialist, expert care available across Care UK homes.

Ipswich-based Asterbury Place took home the ‘Outstanding Care Provider in a Group’ award during the ceremony. Colleagues at the home ensure that going above and beyond is the norm, rather than an exception. Residents’ views are integral to the running of their home and the care they receive, ensuring they maintain their independence and continue to receive the respect they deserve.

Perry Manor, based in Worcester, is celebrating winning ‘Best for Specialist Care’ for the creation of the Malvern suite. Where there was a lack of efficient care and support in the area for older people living with dementia, combined with neurological and mental health needs, Perry Manor opened the Malvern suite. This one-of-a-kind suite is dedicated to specialist care and innovative techniques, which are provided in a one-to-one or one-to-two care setting.

Meanwhile, Sway Place in Hampshire was awarded ‘Best for Wellbeing’. The activities in the home are resident-orientated, creating stimulating opportunities and experiences for them. Like all Care UK homes, Sway Place do not believe that life stops when your care journey begins, so they ensure that each resident can keep their special interests. For example, one particular resident enjoys woodworking and hoped to continue his passion after moving into the home, which Sway Place supported. He now has his own workshop and has raised over £3,000 making bird boxes for charity.

To mark the special occasion of Care UK’s 40^th anniversary in 2022, the idea of 40 days of giving back was born - reflecting the three Care UK values of caring, passionate and teamwork. This inspirational fundraising campaign resulted in Care UK homes around the UK raising more than £43,000 for their local charities and for the national Care Workers Charity; and delivered the win of ‘Best Care Home Marketing, Advertising or PR Activities’.

The Potteries, based in Dorset, was awarded ‘Best Continuing Covid-19 Response’ at the awards. Their implementation of infection control during the pandemic led to them avoiding any outbreaks of Covid-19, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the residents of the home. The home even built a pub selectively named the ‘Lockdown Arms’ during the pandemic, leading to connections being forged with local breweries who make kind donations to this day.

As well as these award wins, there were three other Care UK homes recognised as ‘highly commended’ for their motivational, inspiring work. Firstly, Weald Heights was recognised in the ‘Best for Nursing Care’ category, recognising the calibre of nursing talent at the home. Metchley Manor was highly commended in the ‘Best for Wellbeing’ category, with Franklin House being highly commended for ‘Best Facilities Management, Maintenance or Housekeeping Team’.

Remarking on the success of the awards, Andrew Knight, Chief Executive Officer of Care UK, said: “To earn this many accolades from the Care Home Awards is great recognition that we are continuing to develop our homes and prioritise the needs of residents.”

“Colleagues across Care UK work hard every day to create new and innovative ways for us to fulfil lives, enabling hobbies, outings, or wishes, or providing specialist dementia care at all levels. I’m immensely proud of my colleagues, these awards exemplify the compassionate dedication and passion of everyone across our homes and throughout our organisation.”