NURSING homes from across the Borough have been recognised for the care they provide at an awards ceremony organised by Wigan and Leigh Hospice.

Belong Atherton was the big winner on the night scooping four awards for nurse of the year, senior carer of the year, peer nomination and the staff member of the year (an award nominated by families and patients) at the ceremony held at Leigh Sports Village non Friday.

The team at Richmond House Care Home in Leigh walked away with three awards including outstanding home of the year while Bedford Care Home in Leigh also took home three awards including the award for most improved home of the year.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham, who presented the award for manager of the year to Lorraine Scholey from Richmond House, said: “This award is to acknowledge the leadership and dedication required to be an effective care home manager.

“A great manager will inspire, motivate and empower their teams to provide high quality person-centred care to their residents and support those important to them.

“I have never been at a celebration for care home staff and I am glad they are getting this recognition because it is a pressured job day in and day out – it is a tough environment.”

Hayley Moores, an inspection officer at the CQC who presented the award for outstanding home of the year to Richmond House, said: “We are seeing massive progress in the sector and we know this sector is under tremendous pressure.

“It is fantastic to see an initiative which is empowering you all to make a difference at the end of somebody’s life.

“It is not an easy job and it takes a tremendous amount of compassion.

“The home receiving this award have been given this highly deserved accolade for their ongoing commitment to enhancing the care of their residents and those important to them at the end of their lives.

“Staff have been consistently enthusiastic and shown high levels of compassion and empathy to their residents and those important to them. The management of the home is exceptional and it is clear that staff are valued and integral to the decision making process.”

The event was hosted by Wigan and Leigh Hospice’s chief executive Dr Alan Baron and organised by the Hospice in your Care Home team who had been working the eight different nursing homes to help improve care for residents.