Catherine Rea, Residential Manager at Dunluce Healthcare’s Oakmont Lodge, has been named Home Manager of the Year at the Staff Nursing Awards.

Catherine, who began her career as a Care Assistant before her passion for delivering excellent care saw her being promoted to Senior Care Assistant, Deputy Manager, and now Residential Manager, was praised for her high standards of care and resident satisfaction, her leadership, and her drive to implement initiatives that improve practice.

Catherine commented:

“It is an honour to be named Care Home Manager of the Year.

“Each of our residents deserves to feel respected, empowered, and taken care of, and it is a privilege to be entrusted with their well-being.

“In line with Dunluce Healthcare’s values of providing person-centred care in beautiful surroundings, together with the team at Oakmont Lodge, I strive to create a nurturing environment where residents can thrive.”

In addition to Catherine’s accolade, Oakmont Lodge was Highly Commended as Care Home of the Year and its Administrator, Heather Parker, was Highly Commended as Administrator of the Year.

Ryan Smith, Chief Executive at Dunluce Healthcare, added:

“We are immensely proud to see the dedication and hard work of our team acknowledged at the Staff Nursing Awards, which recognise innovation and excellence across Northern Ireland.

“Catherine and Heather, and the entire workforce at Oakmont Lodge, exemplify our commitment to exceeding expectations, ensuring the highest standards of care and comfort for our residents and their families.”

Dunluce Healthcare was also Highly Commended in the Training Initiative of the Year category for its innovative career development programme, Dunluce Academy.

Ryan continued:

“Our substantial investment into the ongoing training of our team reflects our dedication to personal growth and professional advancement, with the Dunluce Academy allowing us to go beyond what most healthcare businesses offer.

“It builds on our reputation as an employer that goes the extra mile for our staff, resulting in outstanding care for our residents.”

Dunluce Healthcare and Oakmont Lodge’s success at the Staff Nursing Awards follows the recent news that Oakmont Lodge was ranked as one of Northern Ireland’s Top 20 Care Homes by carehome.co.uk.