Pioneering Dementia Care Home Shortlisted At Hj Awards
Community Integrated Care has been shortlisted in the Service Redesign category of the 2016 Health Service Journal Awards, alongside its partners at NHS Halton CCG and Halton Borough Council.This accolade recognises their collective achievements in transforming St Luke’s Care Home in Runcorn into a centre of excellence for dementia care. Together they have created a pioneering integrated model of care that sees Community Integrated Care provide specialist care in the home to people who live with dementia and have complex health needs, assisted by experts from the local authority and NHS. The care home receives ongoing support from NHS clinical specialists and local authority social care professionals, who work side-by-side with the home’s caring colleagues every day.
They also jointly funded a £250,000 refurbishment of the home last year – creating a more dementia-friendly environment. This has seen a significant enhancement of many communal and living spaces, and the introduction of new themed activity areas, including a cinema, pub, indoor gardens and activities and reminiscence area.
This innovative integrated approach has ensured that people living at St Luke’s enjoy happier, healthier and more independent lives. The home now supports people with the most complex and advanced dementia needs in Halton. It has also reduced demand on local health services and hospitals – helping the local NHS to use its resources more effectively.
It also enjoys a number of thriving community partnerships, including receiving regular support from the Super League rugby club Widnes Vikings, who deliver regular reminiscence and activity sessions at the home.
This is the latest in a host of national recognition for the home and this partnership, with St Luke’s also being celebrated at the National Dementia Awards, 3rd Sector Care Awards and Skills for Care Accolades in the past 12 months.
Cath Murray-Howard, Deputy CEO of Community Integrated Care, says: “St Luke’s is increasingly being nationally recognised as a care home that is supporting people to lead great lives, through delivering a unique model of care. We’re honoured to be shortlisted with our partners at this prestigious event. Halton is an excellent borough, with some innovative practice and wonderful partnerships, and this is really highlighted with this nomination.”
NHS Halton CCG’s Chief Officer, Simon Banks, said: “The awards are judged by industry leaders, making them one of the most prestigious awards on the health calendar; so it is a huge honour for our work to be recognised in this way.”
Alastair McLellan, Editor, HSJ, said: “With the NHS experiencing a tough time as funding fails to keep up with demand, the HSJ Awards are once again the best reminder of the excellence the service is capable of. Taken together the entries to the HSJ Awards represent work which, directly or indirectly, has saved thousands of lives and enhanced many times that number.”
