A care home in Rocester is celebrating four of its staff being shortlisted for prestigious awards. The team from Barrowhill Hall, a residential, dementia care and nursing home, are finalists in five regional categories in the 2017 Great British Care Awards, the most highly-regarded programme to recognise quality care in the UK.
Among the staff through to the West Midlands finals is Lauren Titterton. A team leader at the 74-bed home, she swapped a career in beauty therapy for one in care after having looked after her great grandmother when she was battling cervical cancer.
Lauren said: "I’m thrilled just to be nominated let alone be a finalist. It’s great to be recognised for your skills. There is so much involved in caring; this is a career for me not just a job."
Also shortlisted is Barrowhill Hall manager Martin Rogerson, who is in the running for the care home manager award, having overseen the development and launch of Churnet Lodge, a new residential home on the site that offers care for people in the early stages of dementia.
Training manager Elaine Belcher is a finalist in two categories - "care trainer" and "palliative care", having established a partnership with St Giles Hospice in Lichfield to ensure staff at Barrowhill Hall are trained in end-of-life care.
Geoff Aris, the home’s care quality manager, is shortlisted in the "dignity in care" category.
He was recognised for "promoting dignity through learning" in the Staffordshire County Council Dignity in Care awards in August.
Aged just 22, Lauren will be the youngest of the team heading to the awards ceremony at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham on November 24.
Martin Rogerson said: "Lauren’s care and compassion stood out from the beginning.
"She’s calm and an excellent listener both to residents and her team – she gives her staff guidance and confidence, and we get glowing reports about her high quality care from residents’ families.
"Lauren regularly goes the extra mile to make sure that her resident is not just ready for the day ahead but is wearing their favourite piece of jewellery and their hair is just how they like it."
Lauren was also praised for being able to "enter the world" of those who can’t express themselves clearly to understand and respond to their needs, and giving residents her time and full attention.
She said: "I’ve always liked caring for people. It would always be me who would go and wash my great nan’s hair, and while I love beauty therapy it wasn’t satisfying enough.
"When my nan spotted a job at Barrowhill Hall I decided to make the move and I’ve never looked back. I love what I do."
