STAFF at a care home are celebrating their 'wonderful accolade' after being nominated for an award.

Harbour House in West Bay was selected as a nominee for the 3rd Sector Care Awards under the ‘Creative and Innovative ways to achieve excellence’ category. 

A team from the home travelled to London to be interviewed by a panel of three judges who are all specialists in the care industry. 

The team included registered manager Anna Knight, head of care Andrea Winfield and Ed Waldron, advanced nurse care practitioner at Bridport Medical Centre. 

The nomination came from a scheme which saw a nurse care practitioner allocated to the residential home. It began in April 2015 and provides personalised care for people over the age of 75 years in the care home sector. 

Anna said: "The service is specifically designed to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, GP call outs and to provide personalised end of life management. The allocated nurse practitioners have taught the care team at Harbour House first class triaging and assessment skills which has lead to increased confidence within the workplace and joined up working practices. The multi-disciplinary approach has created informative, prescriptive, yet meaningful care plans, used by paramedics, district nurses and visiting medical professionals. The nurse practitioner listens to staff supporting residents, resulting in preventative clinical care in a proactive manner."

There were hundreds of applicants for the awards, and Harbour House was selected as one of just three finalists. They were invited to an awards ceremony at the London Marriott Hotel at the start of December, 

The MC for the day was Dame Esther Rantzen who commented that everyone attending the ceremony was the crème’ de la crème’ of the industry and were much deserved finalists within their categories.
Anna said: "We didn't win but we are all very, very proud to be one of the three 3rd sector care finalists in the country for 'Creative and Innovative ways to achieve excellence.

"We are all so pleased to have achieved this wonderful accolade and we recognise that it's all down to the hard work and support from all our staff, friends and practitioners. Every day we strive to achieve the very best we can for all our residents at Harbour House. A massive thank you from all of us."