UK awards success for Inverness care workers; 2 staff at Highview House Care Home in Scorguie win top titles at the national Barchester Care Awards 2024
Residents and staff at an Inverness care home are celebrating after two of their carers were recognised at a UK-wide awards ceremony.
Fergal Naughton and Ellie MacPhee, who work at the Highview House Care Home in Scorguie, have beaten competition from across the UK to be crowned National Dementia Champion of the Year and Learner of the Year, respectively, in the national Barchester Care Awards 2024.
The Barchester Care Awards celebrate the staff who “go the extra mile” for the benefit of the 11,000 residents living in Barchester’s more than 200 care homes and private hospitals across the country.
Categories range from ‘Registered Nurse of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.
More than 2900 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. Barchester said that all entries were “a very high standard” and Fergal Naughton, head of unit on Highview House’s Memory Lane was over the moon to have been named the national winner - beating hundreds of other nominees to the coveted title.
He said: “Our residents enrich our lives. It’s a privilege to be able to provide a home full of empathy, warmth, safety and professionalism. I speak for both Ellie and myself when I say these awards are recognition not just for us personally but for the teams and residents we work with.”
Ellie and Fergal’s wins were announced at a special national award ceremony which took place this week to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Barchester’s many staff members.
While Fergal and Ellie were attending the lavish ceremony in Manchester, they were supported by residents and staff who had their own five-star buffet reception. The ceremony was broadcast into the nursing home using state of the art technology which allowed residents to feel as if they were in the audience.
When first Ellie and then Fergal were announced as winner, residents threw confetti and raised a glass and a cheer in celebration of their home town champions.
General manager, Elsbeth Russell said: “This is an amazing achievement and the whole home is so proud of both Ellie and Fergal. Both of our winners represent the consistently excellent standards of care, empathy and professionalism which any visitor or resident to Highview will experience on a daily basis.
“These individual accolades represent both their own personal achievements, but also those of the units and staff across the home. We are all so very proud of our two winners and the level of care we provide at Highview.”
Highview House is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers. Highview House provides nursing care, residential care, and respite care for more than 70 residents.