Park View Care Centre, Maidstone Care Centre and Withens Nursing Home who are all part of RCH Care Homes are celebrating having both their staff and the company being shortlisted as finalists in a number of awards across Great British Care Awards and the Kent Care Awards.
To say that the last seven months for the those working in social care has not been challenging, at times heart-breaking, and often history making would be a lie. So, when staff at the three Dementia, Nursing and Residential homes received a plethora of nominations last month from the South East Great British Care Awards (GBCA), their spirts were lifted and energised by the exciting news.
The news topped off an already exciting week as team members from Parkview Care Centre and Maidstone Care Centre had been taking part in their finalist interviews for the Kent Care Awards.
This is the first time that the homes have put themselves forward for these awards and so they were all thrilled when it was announced that they had a total of seven finalists between them for the South East GBCA. Looking forward to their judging interviews over the next few weeks, the finalists are already on tenterhooks waiting for the results which will come out in early 2021.
Maidstone Care Centre on Boxley Road, Maidstone, is always a hub of activity and engagement so, when the team were informed that their colleagues were receiving even more recognition, you can only imagine the buzz amongst residents and the rest of the team.
The home’s nutrition team were already finalists for the Nutrition Award at the Kent Care Awards when they discovered they’d been announced as finalists in the same category for the South East GBCA. Adding to the accolades for the home, Activity Co-ordinator Amy is a finalist for the Putting People First Award (Kent Care Awards) and Maintenance Officer Brian is another finalist for the GBCA Awards in the Ancillary Worker category, bringing the total number of finalists for Maidstone for this awards season to four.
“Being finalists fills us with immense pride and we are incredibly humbled to have been shortlisted for these awards. It is a reflection of the incredible joy and fulfilment that residents fill us with that makes the role so rewarding and worthwhile.” ~ Julie and Sara
Amadu, Manager of the Nursing Home shared his joy at the nominations, “It’s a huge source of pride for me and my team to see two of the most dedicated and hardworking members of the team shortlisted in such prestigious awards. Julie and Sara deserve this for their ongoing team work and dedication at Withens Nursing Home. In our eyes, they are always winners.”
In the opposite geographic direction from Southfleet, Park View Care Centre in Park Farm, Ashford, has also racked up a substantial list of nominees with a total of five finalists for both the South East Great British Care Awards and Kent Care Awards, including both Registered Manager and the Dementia Carer Award (for the home’s Dementia Manager, Karen).
Acting Home Manager Emma, shortlisted in both Kent Care Awards and the South East GBCA for the Palliative and End of Life Award, shared her pride in being nominated in a category that she is so passionate about, “For me, palliative care is a passion, a vocation that is learnt through knowledge, skills, experience, tears and smiles with residents and families. With RCH and the Park View Care Centre ‘Blue Horizons’ project, we aim to reach a level of perfection and excellence. I am grateful to be honoured with these nominations, but this accomplishment is not mine, it belongs to each and every single staff member of Park View and their level of love, care and diligence.”
RCH Care Homes were also delighted to have been shortlisted in both the South East and London GBCA awards for the Care Innovation Award for the new and innovative initiatives introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Considering this is the first time the homes have put themselves forward for either set of awards, they are overwhelmed at having thirteen(!!) finalists across both sets of prestigious awards.
Regional Director Trish King summed up the importance of the awards and her pride in her team’s nominations, “It’s important to ensure that our teams are put forward for these recognitions. The commitments they make, the compassion they show and the dedication that they give deserves to be acknowledged and, by nominating through the various awards, shows them that they are respected, valued and that they make a difference. I am extremely proud of all of the teams at the three homes and at RCH who are all winners in the eyes of both residents and myself.”
