A nurse dubbed “outstanding” for making a difference to the lives of residents in her care has won a national award.
Rachel Whittaker, a registered nurse at Hallmark Greenhill Manor Luxury Care Home in Merthyr Tydfil, prides herself on caring for not only residents in the care home community, but also their whole family.
And now her hard work and devotion to those in her care has led her winning bronze in the Independent Sector Nurse of the Year category sponsored by Meddyg Care at this year’s Wales Care Awards, which are held every year to pay tribute to the frontline heroes of social care.
The presentation ceremony was held at Cardiff’s Holland House Hotel on Friday, October 17.
A mother to six-year-old twins, Rachel has worked at Greenhill Manor since 2017 and is said to have made a positive difference to everyone around her.
Praised by her bosses for being instrumental in embedding the Senses Framework at Greenhill Manor, a strategy that improves care for residents through a relationship-centred approach, Rachel has also worked alongside staff at The Hospice of the Valleys to enable Greenhill Manor to work towards becoming a centre of excellence for end-of-life care.
Rachel said: “I am so lucky to work at Greenhill. I get to work across all the communities within the home but I mainly work in end-of-life care.
“This is something I am very passionate about. You only get one chance to get this right, the very last thing you can do for someone.
“I get to fulfil someone’s wishes and make sure a resident’s final journey is just how they want it to be. Every situation is unique and I am very privileged to be able to make everything perfect for those final moments.”
Rachel prides herself on providing care not just for residents but also support for their families.
She added: You build up good relationships with family members. Residents can live here for a very long time and you build a good rapport and become a support to family members.
“Families praise us for that level of care and we get lots of positive feedback from relatives and they always say they can never thank the team enough.
“With dementia a family has already experienced a sense of loss and they are already grieving. When residents come to us their family members are struggling but find comfort within our community and make friends. That is always lovely to see.”
Karen Beech, General Manager at Greenhill Manor, nominated Rachel for the award after being impressed by the difference she has made.
Karen said: “Rachel is well respected by all the team and supports them in their growth and development. Her enthusiasm has had a positive impact on the whole team.”
Rachel’s colleague Claire Jehu added: “Rachel is an outstanding nurse. She is always helpful, kind, supportive and educational. Rachel has a way about her that always brings her peace and calmness to even the most traumatic experiences. Rachel is a pleasure to work alongside.”
Mario Kreft MBE, Chair of the Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards once again shone a light on the “unsung heroes and heroines” who make a vital difference to the lives of vulnerable people across the nation.
He said: “For more than 30 years, Care Forum Wales has worked tirelessly to champion the social care sector.
“The Wales Care Awards underlines the importance of the sector – it’s the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically.
“Our mission has always been to be the voice of social care in Wales to stand up for the workforce and ensure their dedication is properly recognised.”
A special moment in the evening when Mair Elis Thomas, widow of the late Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, took to the stage to present one of the awards.
According to Mr Kreft it was a touching gesture that reflected Lord Elis Thomas’s long standing support for the Wales Care Award and for social care more broadly.
“Dafydd was a passionate believer in the power of the arts to enrich lives and support wellbeing and mental health,” said Mr Kreft.
“He is greatly missed, but his legacy lives on – not only through his contribution to public life as a Presiding Officer, but also through the positive impact he had on so many communities.”
