Nominations are now open for the Leeds Quality in Care Awards 2022. The closing date for nominations has been extended to 4 September 2022.
These awards celebrate excellence throughout the Leeds adult care sector and are part of the vision for an Age Friendly Leeds and to be the Best City to Grow Old in and a place where people age well.
The awards will:
- showcase and celebrate best practice in adult social care
- pay tribute to those who have demonstrated excellence in what they do
- recognise the hard work people have undertaken to improve care, raise the profile of care and inspire others to come into care
There are nine award categories:
Social care nurse of the year
This award recognises a registered nurse who has made an outstanding contribution to the care of people who use their service. They must have contributed positively to nursing in their workplace and/or across the care sector. They must have made a positive difference to the lives of those they care for, and constantly implement a person-centred approach in the work they do. They must also be committed to their own personal and professional development and constantly seek new and innovative ways to improve.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- How has this individual contributed positively to the nursing sector?
- How have they made a difference to the lives of the people they are caring for?
- How is this person committed to their own development and continuous improvement?
Paid care or support worker of the year
This award recognises a paid care or support worker who consistently provides a high standard of individualised care and support, demonstrates commitment promoting and maintaining independence, choice and control with people whilst being responsive to their needs. They are dedicated to providing a holistic service, must have brought about change, and have made a difference to the lives of those they support. They are enthusiastic and very often ‘go the extra mile’. They are pro-active in and contribute to personal development and that of the team and service.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- How have they made a difference to the lives of the people they support?
- How have they made positive changes to the service?
- How do they go the extra mile?
Volunteer of the year
This award recognises an individual who volunteers in the care sector. It recognises a volunteer for their valuable and selfless commitment to innovation, dedication and contribution to the sector, and enhancement of the efficiency of services. They have shown commitment and dedication to the service and have demonstrated Leeds’ values in all that they do. They have built up strong relationships with both staff and the people they support. They have constantly embedded a person-centred approach through their work.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- What voluntary role does this person do in the sector?
- How have they contributed to the service, what difference have they made?
- How have they demonstrated Leeds’ values in their work and embedded a person-centred approach?
Registered manager of the year
This award recognises a Registered Care Home Manager who has demonstrated a high level of expertise together with exceptional skills in managing the complex business of running and delivery of strengths based, person centred social care services. The manager must show leadership and vision in developing person-centred care and supporting staff to meet the ever-changing needs of people who use their services. They must constantly seek positive change and look for improvements in the service through ongoing review and reflection.
- How has the service benefited from this person’s exceptional management skills?
- How has this person got the most out of their staff?
- How has this person made positive changes and improvements to the service?
Best recruitment and retention initiative
This award recognises employers who have dealt with recruitment and retention issues in the sector by establishing initiatives to encourage new and returning talent into their workforce. They will have an effective method for targeting and attracting new talent, as well as an effective recruitment process which enables them to recruit the most talented individuals. They will also have good methods of retention and will demonstrate this through reduced turnover rates. The nomination should include the impact of the initiatives, including the benefits for the people they support.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- What methods does the organisation use to target and attract new and returning talent?
- How does this organisation keep such high retention rates?
- How have the initiatives improved the quality of the service and the people the service support?
Most innovative approach to supporting independence, choice and control
This award recognises employers who have shown constant commitment to the independence, choice and control of the people they support. We’re looking for employers who support people with decision making and have enabled them to make choices about the way they live and the care they receive. The employer has ensured that people always remain in control of what happens to them. They may also have identified areas where people’s independence is being undermined in the service and sought ways to redress the balance.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- How has the organisation improved the independence, choice and control of the people they support?
- How are people supported in decision-making?
- How does the employer ensure that people remain in control of their own lives?
Most inclusive service provision
This award recognises a service provision which has taken steps to ensure that the service is accessible and inclusive. The employer will have encouraged the use of fair, ethical and inclusive practices to improve the accessibility of the service to the people who use it. The service will ensure that all staff are committed to inclusivity and have access to the training and resources needed to ensure holistic service provision. The service will provide opportunities for people to participate as fully as they can at all levels of the service, including the day-to-day running of the service.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- How does this service work flexibly in order to ensure inclusivity?
- How has the service ensured that staff have the resources to implement an inclusive service?
- How does the service ensure that people can fully participate in the running of the service?
Digital innovation to support independence
This award will recognise an individual or a group of people who have shown exceptional entrepreneurial skills in identifying, developing, implementing, using or establishing a new digital system or product. This new innovation must demonstrate benefits for people who use services, services and staff. This system or product must have been designed to increase the independence of people who use the service and must be able to demonstrate the impact it has had. It may also allow the service to run more efficiently, bringing a time or cost saving to the service.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- What new digital system or product has this organisation implemented/used in their service?
- How has this system or product improved and increased the independence of the people who use the service?
Outstanding contribution to social care
This special award recognises an individual who has gone the extra mile and made a long-term outstanding contribution to social care. They have continuously gone above and beyond to make a significant difference to people’s lives and have consistently embedded Leeds’ values around person centred care and strengths-based approaches in all that they do. They have shown innovation and creativity in their approach to care and support and have constantly sought to improve the sector. They have committed a number of years to their role in the sector and must still be working in the sector or recently retired.
Questions to consider when writing your nomination
- How has this individual gone the extra-mile in their role?
- How has their approach made a difference to people’s lives?
- How have they shown innovation and creativity when seeking to improve the sector?
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible, nominees must:
- currently work in, or have recently retired from, the regulated care sector in Leeds
- have had projects or activities that have taken place in the last 12 months
- have had a positive impact on people living within the Leeds boundary
Nominations are judged on the content and quality of the information provided and not the number of nominations. Submitting multiple nominations for a particular individual/group/organisation will not result in additional benefit.
How to nominate
Anyone can submit a nomination. Each nomination must include examples and are word limited.
All nominations will be judged using the criteria set out. The nominees do not need to meet all the criteria, each nomination will be considered on its individual merits.
Self-nominations will not be accepted.
Guidance on completing your nomination form
Please complete the nomination form accurately, following the instructions in each section. It is important that you provide as much information as possible about your nominee. Try to explain what their actual contribution or impact has been and not just listing jobs or posts they have held.
Your nomination is the only evidence that people involved in the awards process will see about your nominee so the key to success is the quality of the information on the form.
Your nominee won’t be personally known to those making the decisions, so it is important that you tell an interesting and compelling story. The nomination should cover your nominee’s impact on people, their community or organisation and focus on their recent achievements.
Remember that you are trying to explain why your nominee is being nominated and why they should receive an award.
Submit your nominationsExternal link
The awards ceremony will take place in December.
Nominations close on 4 September 2022.
If you have problems completing the online form, or would prefer a paper copy, please email:
ASCODTeam@leeds.gov.uk or telephone 0113 378 5032
