Lisa Wins Hermitage Care Award

The Hermitage Care Home is set within its own grounds in Welshpool and is run by Mrs Debbie Tonks, Home Manager. The proprietors are Mr Stephen Griffiths and Miss Janette Nelson.

During the last few years The Hermitage has worked very closely with Powys Training, Welshpool who have provided NVQ training in Health & Social Care for the majority of their staff which consists of approximately 20 dedicated carers.

In order to recognise the valuable work the carers provide, the Home Manager and Proprietors decided to hold a "Care Award Afternoon" which took place on 27 June 2006. All members of staff were given the opportunity to nominate a colleague for this Care Award and the winner was Lisa Quigley. It was a very difficult task to come up with a "winner" but in particular Lisa had gone out of her way, in her own time, to visit an ex resident who for various reasons could no longer remain in residential care. This particular ex resident had become very confused to the point that she could not remember many of her own family members. Lisa took it upon herself to contact the family and obtain a photo album, which she went through with the lady during many of her visits. Remarkably she was able to remember many family members once again. It was only when the family wrote to The Hermitage that Lisa's thoughtfulness and dedication came to light.

Because the "care award afternoon" was so successful, Debbie, Stephen and Janette have decided to hold similar awards on a regular basis.

Because of the close working relationship between Powys Training and The Hermitage Janis Gwynn, Training Officer for Powys Training was asked to make the presentation to Lisa. Janis was accompanied by Aprille Saunders, Operations Manager and Joint Managing Director of Powys Training.

Janis said she has felt very privileged working with staff of The Hermitage and seeing for herself the way the staff have developed through their NVQ training over the last few years and how passionate they have been about their training and development. Much of this, Janis said, has been down to the support from Debbie Tonks who also provides in house training second to none. Powys Training are proud to confirm that successes have been achieved in Levels 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Health & Social Care and Registered Managers Award.