Residential, nursing and dementia care provider Caring Homes has received the Princess Royal Training Award (PRTA) for the fourth time for its commitment to training and development last year, alongside 47 other organisations.

Organisations receiving the award created and delivered highly engaging training programmes which resulted in significant and measurable impact. Several of them used training as a way of addressing skills shortages and gaps in their sector, including Caring Homes which created an in-house programme to train overseas recruits to become nurses and address a national skills shortage.

To receive the accolade Caring Homes created a culture of inclusivity, fully supporting international trainees to pass the required exam while offering wider pastoral support. Pass rates for 2020-21 increased by 11% compared to previous years.

Liz Willis, director of learning and organisational development at Caring Homes, said: “We are delighted that our training programmes have been recognised in this way and that we have been included among those organisations to receive one of these coveted training awards for the fourth time.

“At Caring Homes, we wholeheartedly believe that investing in our colleagues, their learning and ongoing development is pivotal to the success of our organisation, the exceptional standards of care, safety and wellbeing we provide our residents and indeed the way in which we have risen to the challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented.

“As an organisation, we pride ourselves on our openness and transparency and as such we are always keen to share our best practice approaches and initiatives with the wider nursing community to enhance knowledge, improve the way in which care is provided and to ultimately promote patient safety and quality care. One way we have approached this is through sharing our nurse development initiatives at meetings involving Skills for Care, the Royal College of Nursing, and NHS trusts.

Caring Homes is also a part of the PRTA ‘Community of Excellence’ having been recognised in 2020 for its chef development programme, which upskills chefs and meets and exceeds industry criteria for care home catering and cooking for people living with dementia. It was also recognised in 2018 for its future leaders’ programme and in 2016 for its dementia training programme.

Kirstie Donnelly, chief executive of City & Guilds said: “It’s fantastic to have seen so many organisations demonstrate a continued commitment to training and development as well as the positive and life-changing impact learning can have on people. It has been a real honour to celebrate the hard work and dedication to learning and development from all of our Princess Royal Training Award recipients this year.” 

Caring Homes was established in 1994 by registered nurse Helena Jeffery and her son Paul. It operates 70 homes nationwide and remains family-run.