South Wales-based Ludlow Street Healthcare is celebrating after receiving nominations for a number of influential industry awards.

Five of its staff have been shortlisted for the prestigious Wales Care Awards and a service user is a finalist in the National Service User Awards.

The Wales Care Awards is an annual event run by Care Forum Wales to showcase best practice across the care sector, while the National Service User Awards are designed to celebrate service user projects and the co-production work that is being supported in inpatient services UK-wide.

Ludlow Street Healthcare specialises in providing care for adults over the age of 18 with complex mental health problems, autism, learning disabilities, and neuropsychiatric conditions including dementia and acquired brain injuries and staff who work for them can be proud that they really make a difference to the lives of service users.

The service user, who is based at Heatherwood Court hospital in Pontypridd, has been nominated for their hard work and dedication in setting up a Recovery College to the benefit of all service users. This includes establishing and running a quarterly magazine, creating and chairing a patient council, and mentoring other service users.

The staff nominees, who are based across Ludlow Street Healthcare’s services in south Wales, are Alex Pawson who was shortlisted for the Exceptional Newcomer Award, and Casey Ellis, Paul Sutton, Renata Odhiambo and Rhys Swinfen for the Outstanding Service Award.

Paul Sutton has worked for Ludlow Street Healthcare since 2009 and is currently the organisation’s quality and development manager. Paul is deeply committed to service users and has developed initiatives outside the scope of his role, such as his ‘dog spoiling initiative’ which involved bringing his dog, Daisy May into meet service users, many of them isolated from their families during the pandemic.

Paul said:

“I’m thrilled to be nominated alongside such brilliant colleagues. The last few years have been especially tough for our service users and colleagues and for so many of us to be recognised for our work means a lot.”

Alex Pawson is a support worker at Pinetree Court Hospital, Cardiff, he said:

“During the pandemic I found a way of combining my passions for art and music with my work. This wasn’t just personally fulfilling but also really engaged our service users at a difficult time, which was such a thrill. I’m very grateful to have been nominated for this award, it is recognition of the hard work of the whole Pinetree Court team.”

David Lawrence, Chief Executive at Ludlow Street Healthcare, said:

“Our service user who has been nominated is a real inspiration at Heatherwood. She has a genuine passion and commitment for bringing staff and service users together as a team to create a better environment for everyone; It is so gratifying that that her hard work has been recognized in this way.

“All of our staff deserve recognition for their incredible dedication over the last few years but I’m sure they will all join me in congratulating Alex, Casey, Paul, Renata and Rhys on their nominations.

“The five of them have consistently gone above and beyond in their work and put our service users at the heart of everything they do.”

The National Service User Awards will be announced at Colwick Park Hall, Nottinghamshire on 14th September.

The 2022 Wales Care Awards, the 20th annual awards, will take place on Friday October 21 in Cardiff’s City Hall.

The Awards will be presented in three categories – gold, silver and bronze – and are an important part of raising the profile of care workers and educating the public about the vital work of the care sector.

Set up in 2005 by healthcare specialists, Ludlow Street Healthcare provides transition-focused healthcare and bespoke step-down services, including specialist assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, and education, throughout Wales and the South West of England. The organisation has developed a reputation for its person-centred approach, community-focused settings and specialist staff.

Since its inception, Ludlow Street Healthcare has supported and cared for over 800 people. For over a decade, it has worked in partnership with the NHS, developing services and investing in the necessary health infrastructure and staff training, to support patients on their journey to recovery and a more independent and fulfilling life, through step-down to community living – improving social integration and inclusion.