An ‘outstanding’ senior housekeeper has won a national award after she helped her Dorset care home stay clean and well organised during a major, ten-month refurbishment.
Carol Martin, who works at Colten Care’s Sherborne home, Abbey View, has been named Best Care Housekeeper at the National Care Awards.
As well as leading her team of 13 housekeeping and laundry staff ‘from the front and by shining example’, Carol was cited for her exemplary maintenance of services after the home’s phased revamp began in March 2015.
Jo Ellis, Home Manager, said: “The refurbishments have entailed a complete rebuild from the inside out but Carol has nevertheless maintained an outstanding level of cleanliness and hygiene in the home, a truly remarkable feat and testimony to her determination and passion for the job.”
The award was announced in front of care sector staff from across the UK at a ceremony hosted by actor and comedian Hugh Dennis at the Hilton London Metropole.
Carol, who was also praised for her ‘warmth and empathy for residents’, said: “It was an honour to be nominated and an even greater honour to win. We had a great evening and it was quite overwhelming to go up on stage. I thank Jo and all my team because without their help I couldn’t do my job.”
Working through the home’s refurbishment did present a number of challenges with Carol likening it to “decorating your house but on a ten-times bigger scale”.
Jo added: “Carol leads by example to ensure that our beautiful home is a haven of cleanliness and organisation. She is an outstanding member of staff and always works without complaint or expectation of anything except the reward of seeing a good job done.”
It is the second year in a row that a Colten Care employee has been named Best Care Housekeeper at the National Care Awards. Last year, the title was won by Maria da Silva, Domestic Supervisor at St Catherines View, a dedicated dementia care home in Winchester. Carol was among five finalists in the category this year.
Family-owned Colten Care submitted 19 nominations in ten categories for the 2015 awards. Carol was one of four team members shortlisted as finalists from more than 700 nominations countrywide.
The others were Sohail Daniel, Head of Care at Newstone House in Sturminster Newton (for Care Registered Nurse), Janie Pearman, Home Manager at Belmore Lodge in Lymington (for Resident Engagement) and Colten Care Operations Manager Linda Brownlie (for Operations Manager).
The Abbey View works have involved bedroom refurbishments, a bigger, more welcoming foyer, a new in-house café and improvements to the hairdressing salon and dining room. New plumbing, electrics and call bell systems have also been installed to boost the home’s overall efficiency.
In a recent online survey of relatives and friends, Abbey View was rated excellent or good by 100% of respondents for the quality of its residential, nursing and respite care. As well as meeting CQC standards, the home’s quality of palliative care is accredited under the NHS-approved Gold Standards Framework.
