THERE is just over a week until health and care professionals will be celebrated at a special event.

The South Wales Argus Health and Care Awards presentation evening will take place at Chepstow Racecourse on October 19. Finalists from the 15 award categories will be gathering to celebrate their achievements and discover who has won each award.

One of the categories that will be awarded is the Innovative Care in the Care Home Sector Award, which is sponsored by The Royal College of Nursing in Wales (RCN).

This award recognises the contribution of a team or individual nurse or health care support worker who strives to improve the delivery of care in the care home sector through developing ways to enhance nursing care.

Tina Donnelly, who has been the director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales since 2004, said: “The awards are important because it is essential we recognise and celebrate individuals who go the extra mile to provide excellent standards of care to all who need it, as well as enable the sharing of good practice and ideas, events like the Health and Care Awards provide an ideal platform for this to happen.”

She added: “The RCN Wales award recognises the contribution of a team or individual nurse or health care support worker who excels in providing or enabling excellent nursing care for people living in a care home, some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

“We understand the key role that know that nurses and health care support workers play in providing high-quality care that can add quality to people’s lives, and are absolutely delighted to be able to play a part in highlighting the importance of this aspect of nursing, as well as sharing the nursing family’s success in this area.”

There are three finalists in the running for the award.

Claremont Court Care Home in Malpas, Newport is leading the way with administration of medications to residents. Carers undertook training to become competent to administer prescribed medication which meant the registered nurse on duty, who previously administered medication, can be at the forefront of patient care.

Their digital system also means information is sent and shared digitally with the pharmacy.

Another finalist is the Ty Bryn care home in Pontypool. The team, led by owner and manager Elizabeth Durlacia, provide an admission booklet in pictures that the residents can complete to share what they like, dislike and what they did during their working lives.

Activities include music entertainment, small animal visits, clothes parties, memory group activities and pet therapy.

Staff at the Woffington House Care Home in Tredegar have been embracing changes that have been implemented as part of David Sheard’s Dementia Care Matters Butterfly Project.

These include fortifying meals to meet the individual needs of residents, they work with the local safeguarding team to ensure that a resident’s rights are upheld, embracing the wishes of residents and are involved in the launch of the national ‘Pimp My Zimmer’ campaign.The winner of the award will be announced at the presentation event.

Find out more at southwalesargus.co.uk/healthandcareawards/news.