Exemplar Health Care receives prestigious Chief Nurse Award for outstanding contribution to nursing

Presented by Professor Deborah Sturdy CBE FRCN, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, the award acknowledges the exemplary efforts of teams that go above and beyond in providing compassionate and person-centred care.

Our Quality Team is celebrating after receiving a prestigious Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award for its exceptional teamwork and outstanding contributions to the lives of the people we support.

The award recognises the collective achievements of the team, with a particular focus on their innovative approaches to the Training Nursing Associate (TNA) programme and their ground-breaking Sexuality Champions work.

We introduced the government-backed Nursing Associate role in 2019, to bridge the gap between care colleagues and Registered Nurses. To date, we’ve supported around 35 colleagues through the two-year apprenticeship.

“I’m so happy that I've completed the course and I'm now officially a registered Nursing Associate. I've learned so many new skills. Clinically, I have knowledge of the signs to be aware of when a service user’s health is deteriorating and the steps I need to take to help them quickly and safely."

Karen, Nursing Associate at Parkside

We’ve also recently introduced the role of ‘Sexuality Champions’ to expand our support around friendships, sexuality, intimacy, and disability.

The programme was created to change perceptions around sex and disabilities, so that the people we support can have the same rights as everyone else.

The Chief Nurse Award criteria highlights the importance of creative, innovative and effective team approaches, as well as a high level of performance, capability, and commitment that exceeds expectations.

Professor Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, emphasised the significance of the Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Awards, stating:

"One of the main reasons I launched the Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Awards in 2021 was to celebrate the range, experience and diversity of our talented care workforce. There is wisdom and strength in our diverse backgrounds, and, at best, we are a reflection of the people we care for. I’ve been very impressed by the level and quality of care provided by Exemplar Health Care’s team members, which is only underscored by how well they work together. This profession thrives on collaboration, and I’d like to commend the recipients for their group achievements, which have made many residents’ lives fuller.”

Helen Baxendale, Clinical Director at Exemplar Health Care, commented on the achievement:

“We’re thrilled to receive the Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award, which is a huge testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams. As an organisation that has teamwork as one of our core values, we pride ourselves on being kind, committed and always there for each other. Because of this, our Nurses can reflect high standards of expertise to support people with complex needs. We feel this holistic approach to care means people get the right care from the right team, the first time round.”

Lianne Ford, Head of Nursing at Exemplar Health Care, said:

“As someone who takes a lot of pride in the various programmes we’ve rolled out in recent years, I’m so honoured and pleased to accept this accolade. I’ve seen first-hand how proactive our team members have been in working together to make sure our residents are not just well cared for, but are also able to live their lives to the fullest. I’m incredibly proud of my colleagues, and I believe this is yet another testament to the time and effort put into making sure we come together to provide the highest standards of care.”