Awards allow health care stars to shine
IT was time to shine for health care professionals as the glittering Stockport Star awards were held.
The inaugural awards, at Stockport County’s Edgeley Park ground on Thursday, were organised by Stockport Together as a way of thanking staff in the industry.
Hundreds of workers were nominated across nine categories, and the winner of the Overall Stockport Star award was Kieran Dinan, 19, a care assistant at Marple Dale Nursing Home.
The judging panel – made up of experts from the health and care sector - were told how Kieran’s compassion and thoughtfulness has a big impact on those he cares for.
Kieran, who has only worked as a carer for a year, said: “It’s great to have been recognised, especially after I’ve only been in the industry for such a short amount of time.
“I feel like this award should be for the whole team at Marple Dale, as it is a collective effort.”
Winners across the other eight categories were: ●●DOMICILIARY CARE WORKER: Spencer Jones ●●CARE HOME WORKER: Kuem OK Shinn ●●CARE HOME NURSE: Kerry Fletcher ●●INSPIRATIONAL LEADER: Pauline Parker Moore ●●INNOVATIVE PRACTICE: Emma Moore and Natalie Peters ●●CARE HOME: Wellcroft, Gatley ●●CARE TEAM: Ashbourne House, Gatley ●●PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Plane Tree Court, Edgeley
Domiciliary care worker Spencer Jones as well as innovative practice winners Emma Moore and Natalie Peters were among five nominees from Quality Care of Cheadle.
Bridie Meehan, from the organisation, said: “This really was a great event that made the carers in Stockport feel really special.
“The awards have helped to show the carers in our community just how much the work they do matters and really makes a difference.”
One of the judges, Sue Carroll, from Stockport Healthwatch, said: “Selecting an overall winner has been really tough because we’ve had so many excellent nominations.
“It’s wonderful to see that this important sector is littered with workers who are truly inspirational but there could only be one overall winner.
She continued: “Kieran stood out because he has a way of making the residents he cares for feel like family.
“He always goes the extra mile for them and they love him for it.”