Knight Frank Recognises Healthcare Heroes
– Inaugural Healthcare Heroes Awards recognise social care sector heroes throughout COVID-19 pandemic –
Global property adviser Knight Frank has launched the inauguration of Knight Frank’s Healthcare Heroes Awards which recognises outstanding people within the social care sector.
The first time that awards such as these have been launched, Knight Frank’s Healthcare Heroes Awards saw some fantastic nominations. Submissions focused on individuals who had shown tremendous leadership, empathy and compassion throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as well as leading efforts around infection control and commitment to creative thinking to ensure social care residents and customers felt safe and secure throughout these unprecedented times.
Julian Evans, Head of Healthcare at Knight Frank, commented: “We are thrilled to acknowledge the amazing people that work within the social care sector, this year more than ever. Care providers have managed the COVID-19 pandemic brilliantly, particularly given challenges including lack of testing and PPE, and we received many nominations on behalf of some truly outstanding people working within the sector.
“Our Healthcare Heroes Awards showcase those inspirational individuals who have been undertaking exemplary work in the most difficult of circumstances and have recognised some richly deserved winners.
Standout Healthcare Heroes include:
- Candy Sharratt – Dormy Care
- Karen Johnson – HC-One
- Luke Owen – Bupa
- Daniel Inglis – Balhousie
- Sally Gregory – Sanctuary
- Peter Widdowson – Country Court
- Frank Cummins – Caring Homes
- Lorraine Windsor – Runwood Homes
- Elaine Mignott – Four Seasons Health Care
- June Hoggart – Barchester Healthcare
Julian Evans continued: “Despite the fantastic work of the UK healthcare sector, the pandemic has also unfortunately highlighted the lack of investment by successive governments into the sector, and therefore the urgent need to prioritise preventative and crisis funding. This is even more the case as further economic turbulence likely results from us entering a recession and as Brexit looms. However, already investors and lenders are viewing the healthcare and senior living sector as an opportunity for a ‘flight to quality’.
“The care bed shortage and supply versus demand crisis has definitely not evaporated, and if anything has been emphasised by the crisis. We urgently require inward investment into the sector as we are currently at a vital crossroads where we face a national bed crisis unless significant inward investment in the UK care home sector is made immediately.”
Knight Frank’s research identifies a potential 6,500 care homes at risk of closure over the next 5 years, equating to 140,000 beds. This shortage will be exacerbated by the increased demand for care homes by 2050, which will see a national bed crisis in the UK as the share of people over the age of 80 is expected to surge over the next 30 years, with one in ten adults set to be over 80 by 2050, compared to one in twenty currently.
