Solihull Together 2017 Award winners announced

It was celebrations all round as we announced the winners of the third annual Solihull Together Awards at an inspiring ceremony in the Renewal Conference Centre on Friday 31 March.

Established in 2015, the Awards celebrate outstanding work by individuals and organisations from across the borough that support vulnerable and frail people in Solihull.

This year's awards were opened by Cllr Bob Sleigh OBE, Leader of Solihull Council and hosted by the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, Interim Chair, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Patrick Brooke, Accountable Officer for Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group and Chair of the Solihull Together programme said:“Through these Awards we celebrate the dedication of professionals who bring about improvements in care and the passion of local people making a difference in their communities. Each year it is a real privilege to meet the finalists and winners and hear their stories. What they are doing, whether in a professional or voluntary capacity, to improve the quality of people’s lives, is amazing and inspiring. We have a lot to be proud of in Solihull.”

The winners and finalists are:

Care Professional of the Year
WINNER: Darren Townsend, Rough Sleeper Outreach Worker

Oswald Morgan, Key Worker Early Help Service, Solihull Council
Pete Duffield, RAID Team, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (BSMHFT)

Care Team of the Year
WINNER: STEPS (Support Towards Employment Progress & Satisfaction), Solihull Council

Dermatology Department, Solihull Hospital
Housekeeping & Laundry Team, Royal Star & Garter Homes, Solihull
Solihull Early Intervention Service, BSMHFT
Solihull Community Respiratory Team, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT)

Collaborative Working
WINNER: Macmillan Palliative Care Therapy Team, HEFT

Geriatric Optimisation & Liaison Service Before Surgery (GOALS), HEFT
Solihull Community Housing (SCH) Wellbeing Service & Better Living Centre
SOLAR, BSMHFT
Solihull Integrated Addiction Service (SIAS)

Dementia-friendly Service
WINNER: Enhanced Recovery at Home scheme (Delirium and Dementia Outreach Team), HEFT

Silver Birches Residential Home
Solihull Specialist Care Dental Service, HEFT

Health Professional of the Year
WINNER: Geraldine Russell, Specialist in Special Care Dentistry, HEFT

Dr Anand Chitnis, The Castle Practice
Ann White, Solihull Community Services, HEFT
Jackie Gale, Admiral Nurse, BSMHFT
Jacqui Rea, Croft Medical Centre
Rebecca Billingsley, Solihull CCG/Macmillan Cancer Support

Inspiring Leader
JOINT WINNER: Linda Murphy, Service Manager, Solihull Council
JOINT WINNER: Suzi Thomas, Team Leader, SIAS

Karen Lewis, Deputy Therapy Lead, HEFT
Phillip Hall, Senior Nurse Dementia, HEFT
Rev Neil Roberts, Chelmsley Wood Baptist Church

Local Hero
WINNER: Millie Skinner, Founder member Friends of Solihull Hospital

Christine Logan, Director Act on Dementia CIC
Libby Servis, voluntary work
Martin Shalley, voluntary work at The Hampton Gym and Marie Curie Hospice
Maureen Johnson, Carer Governor, BSMHFT

Outstanding Community Project
WINNER: Solihull Borough Talking Newspaper Association

Gro Organic
MAN v FAT football
Solihull Fire Station/Safe and Well visits

Outstanding Customer Care
JOINT WINNER: Homes Library Service, Solihull Council
JOINT WINNER:Solihull Integrated Addiction Service (SIAS)

Solihull Community Housing (SCH) Wellbeing Service
Solihull Connect

Primary Care Service of the Year
WINNER: Bernays and Whitehouse Medical Partnership

Care Navigator Service, Age UK Solihull
Coventry Road Surgery

Chairman’s Award
WINNER: Amy Jackson, The Lily Mae Foundation

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Andrew Shanahan, MAN v FAT Football
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jackie Gale, Admiral Nurse, BSMHFT