Barchester Care Awards 2024 Categories

Our Barchester Care Awards celebrate excellence in the quality of care we provide, by recognising those individuals and teams that make a difference to the lives of the residents and patients we support .

There are 15 categories to celebrate excellence across a whole variety of roles across the company, ranging from ‘Health and Safety Champion’ and ‘Registered Nurse of the Year’, to ‘Carer of the Year’ and ‘Resident Ambassador of the Year’.

Judging Process

Barchester's Divisional Directors will select the Divisional Winners for each category for their division.

The Divisional Winners will be contacted by the judge for that category to discuss their nomination, and the National Winners will be chosen.

All nominations will be reviewed by your divisional director and divisional winners will be announced in July. The closing date for nominations is Friday 24th May 2024. 

Nominations are now open to all - staff, residents, patients, families, friends, volunteers and visitors. A full list of categories is below and you can leave your nomination by clicking the following link:

Barchester Care Awards Nomination Form

Carer of the Year

This award recognises the vital role of the carers in providing person-centred care to the residents and patients and relatives we support. This individual will show dedication to those in their care, taking into account their life story, the things they love and the things they don’t in order to deliver the best possible care and enhance their lives. This individual will also play an active part in supporting the home or hospital team demonstrating their attitude to whole home/service approach.

Registered Nurse of the Year

This award recognises the dedication, commitment and professionalism of the Registered Nurse across all of our services. This individual acknowledges and is committed to achieving success by delivering the highest standards of care.. They demonstrate the value and importance of leading a dedicated care team, in addition to showcasing outstanding clinical and leadership skills. This nurse is able to demonstrate a sustained track record of delivering high quality person centred care and making continuous quality care improvements.

Learner of the Year

This award is for an individual who exhibits enthusiasm and commitment to their learning and on-going career development. They will have developed their skills through opportunities provided by Barchester, and can demonstrate how their training has helped them to provide a higher standard of care and support, and show how it has contributed to them attaining excellence in their role.

Dementia Care Champion

This award is for the dementia champion who has championed person-centred care for those living with dementia in line with the seven domains of well-being and our person centred approach. The winner will be able to showcase how they have made a real difference to the lives of residents and patients living with dementia in our services and demonstrate examples of leadership, best practice and achievements to create a positive living environment and life experience for those in our care. The winner will also demonstrate a commitment to dignity and privacy for residents and patients, and the participation of residents, patients, loved ones and the care team in the development of the dementia community.

Activities Coordinator of the Year

This individual will have made an exceptional contribution to the health and happiness of the residents or patients they support in organising and delivering person centred, engaging and stimulating activities, events, outings and entertainment. They will engage, enrich and inspire residents, patients and colleagues alike in their creativity, and be able to showcase and evidence a wide range of activities that stimulate the mind, body and soul. This person will be able to demonstrate how they have engaged with local community groups, both in person and digitally, and showcase the positive effect the community engagement has had on resident and patient well-being.

Hospitality Champion

Providing excellent hospitality within a care home or hospital is vital for the well-being of residents, patients and relatives. This award will be made to an outstanding individual within a hospitality role who can demonstrate the passion, commitment and teamwork needed to make a real difference to those living within our homes and hospitals.

Team of the Year

Teamwork is key at Barchester. By working as a team with our colleagues on shift, in the wider home, with support teams or with external partners we can make a positive impact on the care delivered to our residents, patients and relatives. This award will be made to a staff team who through great communication have developed and maintained an outstanding standard of care and customer experience, and an inclusive team ethos within their care setting.

Maintenance Champion

This award recognises a maintenance team member who has displayed excellence and diligence within their discipline. This individual will have positively influenced residents, patients, relatives, and staff colleagues whilst carrying out the responsibilities of their role. Excellent maintenance standards, a safe environment and statutory documentation will all be paramount when selecting the winner of this award.

Home Administrator of the Year

This award will be made to a team member who carries out the daily tasks of their role to a high standard, including effective debt management, supporting staff recruitment and retention and who demonstrates a high level of customer care for residents, patients, families, colleagues or the wider community including health care professionals. The winner will be able to demonstrate how they engage and interact with others in a positive, enthusiastic and cheerful manner acting as a role model for others and creating a warm, friendly and supportive home or hospital environment.

Health and Safety Champion

This award recognises the outstanding contribution made by the nominated Health and Safety Champion in the pursuit of safety within Barchester. The successful individual has embodied the principles of safety first as a dedicated and committed team player. Through influence and challenge, the champion has driven forward standards of excellence and ensured that safety has been maintained for the benefit of residents, patients, colleagues and visitors. This person will have encouraged team members to work safely and follow the Barchester Way in maintaining a high level of safety compliance. This award recognises such achievement in the promotion of a positive safety culture through the provision of appropriate support and encouragement.

Care Practitioner of the Year

This award recognises the outstanding contribution of an individual to the clinical team within the home. The winner will be able to demonstrate how the Care Practitioner role has enhanced the care delivery for their residents and patients, and has supported and developed carers within the home.

Chef of the Year

This award will be made to a chef who shows exceptional ability in providing well-balanced, nutritious and delicious food, whilst tailoring menus to the preferences and dietary requirements of those in our care. The quality of the food offer as well as the management of cost control including waste management, effective ordering and food hygiene standards. The winner will be someone who regularly interacts with their residents/patients to encourage feedback, and proactively participates in life enrichment events within the home.

Garden of the Year

This award recognises an outstanding garden that significantly enhances the quality of life of residents, patients, relatives and staff. This well maintained and beautifully created garden will use a variety of seasonal plants and colours to provide interest all year round, as well as creative displays and provision for wildlife (such as bird feeders). This accessible garden will provide a range of seating, and areas for outdoor activities.

Volunteer of the Year

This award will be presented to an individual who shows real passion and dedication by freely giving time and energy at one of our homes or hospitals. The winner will be someone who has enriched the lives of the residents and patients we care for, while providing support to the home or hospital team in making the environment a happy place to live.

Resident Ambassador of the Year

This nominee should share their zest for life with others, be well respected and loved by staff and residents alike, acting as a voice on the views of other residents and patients within the home on the day-to-day management in the home, supporting with tasks such as monthly meetings, planned activities and events, or meeting visitors looking for a home for a loved one to share their positivity and experience of living there. The winner of this category will be a team player, sharing their views in support of the home and acting as the voice of those unable/unwilling to express themselves.

Special Awards, not up for nominations:

Barchester’s Charitable Foundation Award

This award recognises a Barchester employee or resident or patient who has demonstrated outstanding support to Barchester's Charitable Foundation and its work within the community. This employee should not be a member of Barchester's Senior Management Team. This individual will either have supported an application on behalf of someone in their local community or led fundraising and promotion on behalf of the Foundation.

GM/HD of the Year

This award recognises the outstanding commitment and 'can-do' attitude of a General Manager/Hospital Director. This person leads their team to deliver high standards of care, and creates a welcoming, safe and happy environment in which to live and work. This GM/HD ensures commercial and quality success for their home or hospital as demonstrated in their Google review score, QIR score, CHUK score, Tell Barchester NPS and 5* EHS Score. They also provide incremental support to their division.

Please provide your personal nomination for your Divisional Winner for GM/HD of the Year, along with at least a 150 word explanation detailing the reasons for your nomination and provide any supporting evidence/details you think is appropriate.

Lifetime Achievement

The Lifetime Achievement award will go to a person or person/s who have been with Barchester for 20 years or more service. Additional to their commitment to Barchester over these years, the Lifetime Achievement award also recognises the delivery of care or support that goes over and above their job role. The recipient/s of this award go the extra mile to make a difference to those around them, in their care or support office role.

Please select a member of staff from the attached list of the colleagues who have been with Barchester for 20 years or more. Please provide an explanation as to why you feel they deserve special recognition and any supporting information as to why you have chosen them. There will not be Divisional Winners for this category - just an overall National Winner, or possibly winners if the Exec feel it appropriate.

Nominations are now open! 

Barchester Care Awards Nomination Form