Wokingham

Wokingham Borough Council home care worker Joyce Smith has been recognised for her hard work and dedication at a national award ceremony.

Joyce was selected as a finalist in the Ceretas National Home Care Awards for her work as part of the Wokingham Short Term Assessment and Reablement Team (START) which helps vulnerable adults maintain their independence by providing personal care and helping people regain old skills and learn new ones, for example after and illness or fall. The awards were presented by TV personality Ruby Wax at The Marriot Hotel Grosvenor Square on June 6.

Joyce, who has worked for Wokingham the Council for 22 years, was not chosen as the overall winner at the award ceremony, but START team manager Alyson Hobbs said being short-listed was a great achievement.

Mrs Hobbs said: “The team nominated Joyce because of her skill and dedication and particularly because of her enthusiasm to embrace the new challenges set before her and to undertake training to develop her skills to match the ever changing demands of care. She may not have been chosen as the overall winner, but Joyce is a winner to us and to all the people in the borough who she has helped.”

Joyce, who was short-listed in the Home Care Worker of a Specialist Service category, said: “Nothing we do the team is in isolation and so me being nominated was really the whole team being nominated – and my colleagues came on the award night, which was fun. Events such as this are good for morale but the important thing is that Ceretas has recognised that people in the Wokingham borough are getting good care from the team.”

Wokingham Borough Council has recently been awarded three stars from the Care Quality Commission.

Ceretas is a national organisation that represents all people working in the home care sector.

Wokingham Borough Council executive member for social care Cllr Chris Edmunds said: “The START team do a wonderful and important job helping people remain living at home and I am delighted Joyce has been recognised for her efforts. Helping people stay active and independent is a key part of our social care policy of providing local, personalised services and it is the frontline staff such as Joyce and the rest of the team that put that policy into practice.”

Wokingham Borough Council