Care centre manager celebrates hat-trick of awards

Julie Shield joined Abbeyvale Care Centre, in Blackhall Colliery, part of the National Care Group, as a care assistant in 2000 and has since worked her way up through the business, becoming a registered manager 11 years ago.

Julie has now become one of the first professionals in the sector to receive a silver Chief Nursing Officer Adult Social Care (CNO-ASC) award – recently introduced by the Government to recognise the work of nurses and care workers in adult social care who go above and beyond their everyday roles to provide excellent care, leadership, and inspiration.

Julie said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to receive this award. I love what I do and work alongside an incredible team of colleagues who put the people we support at the heart of everything we do.

"After everything the past 18 months have thrown at us, I couldn’t be prouder to work in social care and would like to thank the National Care Group for nominating me for this, and other awards I’ve been fortunate enough to receive.”

This is the third award Julie has received this year after winning the Manager of the Year and Pandemic Star of the Year at National Care Group’s virtual annual awards in the spring.

James Allen, chief executive officer of National Care Group, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the work Julie has done over the past year.

"Care managers are on the frontline every day, taking on huge responsibilities and this has only been escalated further due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

“That’s what makes Julie’s achievements all the more impressive, as she’s been able to keep Abbeyvale completely Covid-free and even returned to work just six weeks after being seriously ill herself early in the pandemic to ensure she was able to be there for her colleagues and the people she supports.”

The award was presented virtually by chief nursing officer Professor Deborah Sturdy.

She said: “I am delighted to be awarding Julie Shield a Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award for her leadership and commitment to her role as manager, not only through the pandemic, but during her 11 years as manager and leader of her team.”