Dedicated Mental Health Nurse Maggie shortlisted for social care ‘Oscar’

A dedicated mental health nurse has been shortlisted for a top award for helping people in residential homes to lead fulfilled lives.

Maggie Rose, who works for the Accomplish Group as a clinical team leader, has been nominated in The Independent sector Nurse of The Year category sponsored by Ontex UK, at the prestigious Wales Care Awards.

Maggie said: “To be honest, I was very excited to be nominated in the first place.

“As a clinical team leader, you deal with risk assessments and such like on a daily basis. You don’t expect to win awards when you do such serious tasks.

“When I was told I was on the shortlist I thought people were having a laugh. It was quite a moment.”

The 15^th annual Wales Care Awards, known as the social care ‘Oscars’ will be staged at City Hall in Cardiff on Friday, October 19.

They are organised by Care Forum Wales, which celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year.

Maggie, 57, who is married with grown up children, said: “We moved house in April and you find so much to do in a new home. You never have any spare time. Im trying to plan a wilderness garden for relaxing in.

Maggie was put forward for the award by Accomplish marketing manager Gemma Howells.

She has worked for Accomplish since 2008 and is a specialist provider for people with mental health needs, autism, learning disabilities, and acquired brain injuries.

Her priority has been the fulfilment of the lives of the people she supports, providing flexible care in registered residential, hospital and supported living settings.

Maggie has more than 35 years’ experience as a mental health nurse and has worked in acute wards and out in the community.

Along the way, Maggie, who lives in the Llansamlet area of Swansea, has gained experience in neurological conditions such as epilepsy head injuries and increasingly complex health conditions.

“Maggie is the clinical team leader who oversees the clinical team providing support and clinical expertise to a very diverse group of people living in residential homes across Wales, Maggie also provides invaluable clinical training sessions for staff members at Accomplish. says Gemma.

“Maggie’s dedication to the people she support’s and members of staff is outstanding, consistently delivering above and beyond what is expected of her and that is why I am nominating her.” Gemma says Maggie’s professional attitude is an example to everyone she works with.

“Colleagues and the people she supports look up to Maggie and seek her opinion and advice, she would never expect something from someone that she wouldn’t be willing to do herself. Maggie is enthusiastic and willing to try a fresh approach when one doesn’t work. She always strives to make the quality of a person’s life as good as it can for them. She never stops thinking about her role and the people she supports. Maggie is an inspirational role model to all.” adds Gemma.

Fellow mental health nurse Eleanor Percy said: “Maggie is an outstanding nurse. She is supportive to all staff and continuously adopts new initiatives to improve standards and best practice for the people she supports. Her aim has always been to put people’s needs, and their quality of life, at the heart of what she does. She goes above and beyond every day and has been a fantastic mentor to me”.

“Maggie is a key advocate for the role that specialist nurses have in promoting the needs of people with disabilities.”

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards had gone from strength to strength.

He said: “This year’s ceremony is an even more special occasion because it marks the 15^thanniversary of the Wales Care Awards and the 25^th anniversary of Care Forum Wales and the event is now firmly established as one of the highlights in the Welsh social care calendar.

“The aim is to recognise the unstinting and often remarkable dedication of our unsung heroes and heroines across Wales.

“The care sector is full of wonderful people because it’s not just a job it’s a vocation – these are the people who really do have the X Factor.

“If you don’t recognise the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society.

“We need to do all we can to raise the profile of the care sector workforce – they deserve to be lauded and applauded.”