Receiving an award is always a cause for celebration, whatever the time of year. So, at Birtley House our traditional seasonal festivities started a few weeks early with our Matron/Registered Manager, Karen Williams, winning the prestigious Surrey Care Association ‘Manager of the Year’ award.

Great British Life: The Nursing and Carer team at Birtley HouseThe Nursing and Carer team at Birtley House (Image: Archant)

‘Karen has provided care staff with an innovative career structure with opportunities for promotion, if they wish to develop their roles, while essentially remaining care givers. She has introduced the new role of Counsellor into the home in order to offer residents and their families additional emotional and psychological support’.

At the start of each year our thoughts often turn to resolutions; doing things differently or in a better way or perhaps trying something totally new. Such innovation is not just a once a year activity at Birtley House, it is an on-going, dynamic, process with much of the innovation and drive for change coming from Karen. This is never change for the sake of change, but at its core is the aim to improve the quality of life for our Residents – both their nursing care and their holistic care. In doing so, the effect has been to develop new roles for our nurses and carers, providing them with real career development and progression. In addition to Lead and Senior nurse and carer roles we have a wide range of support roles: Counsellor, Chaplain, Companions, Befrienders and a Wellbeing Mentor, in addition to a creative and innovative Activities team. These roles have been developed through discussions with the Residents, and relatives, about their needs - what they want and what helps them. The Residents at Birtley are always at the heart of everything we do.

This drive for change in the care industry is not purely inwardly focused – at Birtley we strive to improve the care for others, both now and for the future. Birtley House staff and our Residents have been involved in three research projects in 2015, with more scheduled for 2016 – again facilitated by Karen. Especially for our Residents, the chance to be involved in such projects has been empowering; providing them with a real sense that they, their assistance and opinions really matter and can make a difference.

So, as we start a new year, our resolutions remain much the same as at any time of the year – to do the best we possibly can for our Residents. If in doing so we can help the wider care industry – so much the better.

Please contact us if you feel you have what it takes to join the Nursing and Carer team at Birtley House.

Janet Hall

Marketing Manager

Birtley House

Bramley

Guildford

GU5 0LB

01483 892055

www.birtleyhouse.co.uk