An Aberdeen woman has been recognised as one of the top care administrators in Scotland at an awards ceremony celebrating the brightest stars in the independent care at home and housing support services in Scotland.
Karen Melvin, 43, from Aberdeen, who works for Saga Homecare in Aberdeen, was selected from more than 200 entries as winner of the Administrators at the Scottish Care Awards 2012, sponsored by Barchester Healthcare.
The ceremony held at the Glasgow Marriott Hotel recently celebrated the cream of the industry.
Ranald Mair, chief executive of Scottish Care, was master of ceremonies for the evening.
The Care at Home and Housing Support National Conference has incorporated an awards ceremony for the last six years. These awards have been hailed a huge success in recognising individuals, teams and companies, with more entries than ever coming in each year from the people they support, employers and employees nominating their peers and colleagues.
This year, the care awards followed a full day of conference for the care at home and housing support sector where the main speaker was the Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, other participants included, Colin Sloey, executive director CHP NHS Lanarkshire, and the Care Inspectorate’s new chief executive, Annette Bruton, who addressed various issues pertinent to the sector and specific to care and support within the home.
The awards were judged by Maddy Halliday, director with the Stroke Association, Edith MacIntosh, rehabilitation consultant with the Care Inspectorate, Margot White, from the Joint Improvement Team, and Allan Hosie one of the main sponsors and managing director of OKD Insurance Brokers.
The conference, exhibition and care awards, the largest of its kind for the independent care at home and housing support sector in Scotland attracted sponsorship from a wide range of key partners.
Karen is delighted to have won the Administrator of the Year award.
She said: “It was a great surprise to have made it to the finalist stage of such a fantastic award ceremony but to win the award is overwhelming.
“Receiving recognition in any job is rewarding but to be nominated for an award is really touching. I love my job and the opportunity to be part of someone’s care journey is wonderful.
“Saga Homecare provides a fantastic care service with a very positive inclusive approach towards their clients – I am delighted to be part of the team and to feel like I’m making each day count.”
Mr Mair added: “Care workers are the unsung heroes of our society and often dedicate their lives to the wellbeing of others. Generous, kind, and compassionate individuals, their positive and determined attitudes are second to none and for that they should be applauded.
“Scottish Care is honoured to host this award ceremony as a way of highlighting all the fantastic work that goes on in this country by the care industry each and every day of the year.”
