The Palliative Residential Care Provider Award

BCOP Charity

An extraordinary total-team culture and unmatched staff retention set this service apart. They excel with specialist Namaste touch care, sensory passports, and proactive multicultural community connections. This whole-team commitment safely protects the diverse spiritual and sensory needs of residents during their final moments in care.

Strong Life Care 

Outstanding individual advocacy and creative final wish fulfilment drive this service forward. The manager acts as a qualified celebrant to deliver free internal funeral services for grieving peers. Their dedicated staff advocacy safely challenges external clinical boundaries to secure immediate, complete pain relief for people.

The Palliative Nursing Home Provider Award

Water Mill House Care Home

Victoria has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication by introducing innovative concepts to ensure that all individuals feel valued and remembered. Her efforts, supported by her staff team, include initiatives such as the establishment of a Legacy Orchard and the creation of the Caring circle for monthly meetings with current and former residents’ family members. She is truly a compassionate and very thoughtful individual who goes above and beyond in making end of life journey for her residents and their loved ones as smooth a transition as she can make it.

The Palliative Care at Home Provider Award

Cavendish Homecare

Mairead is a highly experienced nurse with an exceptional holistic approach to patient care. She consistently leads by example, demonstrating professionalism, compassion and unwavering dedication in everything she does. Her ability to support patients, families and colleagues alike, while delivering the highest standards of care, makes her an invaluable and inspiring member of the team.

Radfield Home Care Epsom and Leatherhead

Radfield Home Care Epsom & Leatherhead is a compassionate and dedicated team committed to delivering exceptional person-centred palliative care. Working collaboratively, they preserve dignity, honour individual wishes and provide unwavering support to clients and families. Their professionalism, empathy and shared commitment create meaningful end-of-life experiences and exemplify excellence in home-based care.

The Palliative Care Worker (Residential and Nursing) Award

Ajeesh Thomas, Ebury Court Care Home

Ajeesh demonstrated a genuine, unscripted passion not only for his own role but also for the wider team around him. His enthusiasm, commitment and pride in delivering outstanding care were evident throughout, inspiring colleagues and reflecting a collaborative approach that places compassion, teamwork and excellence at the heart of everything he does.

Kingsley Boateng, Excelcare Holdings

Kingsley demonstrated a genuine passion for the care he provides, and it was inspiring to hear about his unwavering dedication to delivering compassionate, dignified end-of-life care. His commitment to supporting individuals and their families with empathy, respect and kindness reflects the highest standards of professionalism and person-centred practice.

The Palliative Care Worker (Community) Award

Malgorzata (Maggie) Pierzchala, Mumby’s Live-in Care

Maggie and Amy showed genuine compassion and dedication to the people they support. By being honest, listening carefully, and respecting each person’s wishes, they built strong relationships based on trust. They worked closely with families and colleagues to ensure individuals felt valued, comfortable, and involved in decisions about their care. Their approach has helped people maintain their dignity, independence, and sense of purpose, reminding them that their life is still meaningful and important.

Sian Curry, 1 Oak Care

Sian is a carer at heart, both with her own family and the people she supports. Although end-of-life care initially brought her anxiety, she faced it with courage, grew in confidence, and is now passionate about helping people have a dignified and comfortable end-of-life experience.

The Palliative Frontline Leader Award

Sammy Hydes, Littlehampton & Rustington Housing Society

In the words of one of Sammy’s clients – Sammy Hydes should be cloned. Her passion, attitude and dedication likewise sets Sammy apart from the others. Her residents are like her extended family. When a client passes away, Sammy always ensures a memorial service for the client, treating the client and their family with dignity. Well Done Sammy – amazing work.

Honey Berry, RCH Care Homes

Honey delivers exceptional end-of-life care with remarkable compassion, empathy and professionalism. Her calm, reassuring approach provides comfort to residents, families and colleagues during life’s most difficult moments. Combining extensive knowledge with genuine kindness, she consistently upholds dignity, respect and person-centred care, making a lasting difference to everyone she supports.

The Palliative Care Manager (Residential and Nursing) Award  

Hannah Carrera, Care UK 

Hannah stood out for her clear leadership in embedding palliative care across the home, developing bespoke training, introducing GSF needs-based coding, strengthening advance care planning, and creating reflective practice. Her work felt practical, sustainable and transformational, improving confidence, consistency and person-centred end of life care for residents, families and colleagues.

Christian Whiteley-Mason, Strong Life Care 

Christian is an inspirational leader whose unwavering commitment to person-centred care has created a compassionate, inclusive and thriving community at Thornhill House. Through his hands-on leadership, dedication to staff development and focus on dignity, wellbeing and meaningful lives, he consistently inspires excellence and delivers outstanding outcomes for residents, families and colleagues.

Joylette Cagande, Nellsar Care Homes Ltd.

Joy’s compassionate leadership, clinical expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence have transformed palliative and end-of-life care at Abbotsleigh Care Centre. Through championing best practice, supporting families with empathy and empowering her team through education and collaboration, she consistently delivers outstanding, person-centred care that leaves a lasting impact.

The Palliative Care Manager (Community) Award

Mel Daniels, Home Instead 

Speaking with Mel, it was clear how deeply she cares about the people she supports. Her passion was genuinely moving, and her commitment to person-centred care shone through in every conversation. Her attention to detail and compassionate leadership have clearly influenced her team, who reflect the same values in their approach to care. Mel shared that she always asks herself, “Would this be good enough for my nan?”—a simple but powerful philosophy that underpins every decision she makes and ensures the highest standards of kindness, dignity and respect.

Usebia Muzondo, SAP Care services

Usebia consistently goes above and beyond in every aspect of her role. Despite overseeing the care of more than 150 clients across two regions, she personally visits every individual receiving end-of-life care, ensuring their final wishes are honoured with compassion, dignity and respect. Her unwavering commitment exemplifies truly person-centred leadership.

The Palliative Care Team for Residential and Nursing Homes (Independent) Award

Jewish Care Palliative Care Team, Jewish Care 

The Jewish Care Palliative Care Team exemplifies excellence in compassionate, person-centred end-of-life care. Through exceptional multidisciplinary collaboration, unwavering support for residents and families, and a commitment to continuous learning and best practice, they ensure every individual is treated with dignity, respect and compassion, creating meaningful experiences during life’s most important moments.

Palliative Care Team, Ebury Court Care Home

This exceptional team has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to delivering outstanding end-of-life care through compassion, collaboration and clinical excellence. Their dedication to continuous learning, multidisciplinary working and person-centred support ensures every resident receives dignified, holistic care, while families are guided with empathy, respect and reassurance throughout their journey.

The Palliative Care Team (Community) Award

Macmillan Community Palliative Care Team, Lincolnshire Community Health Services

This passionate and dedicated team consistently goes above and beyond to ensure every individual and their loved ones receive the highest standard of compassionate, person-centred care. Their unwavering commitment, empathy and professionalism create a supportive environment where dignity, comfort and respect remain at the heart of every interaction.

Redditch Neighbourhood team, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care Trust

This outstanding community nursing team delivers exceptional palliative and end-of-life care through compassion, collaboration and innovation. Their seamless multidisciplinary approach, commitment to continuous improvement and unwavering focus on supporting patients and families ensure dignified, person-centred care, enabling individuals to remain where they feel most comfortable during life’s final journey.

Walsall Specialist Community Palliative Care Team, Walsall NHS

The Walsall Specialist Community Palliative Care Team has demonstrated outstanding resilience, adaptability and clinical excellence throughout a period of significant change. Despite increasing demand, they have continued to deliver exceptional, compassionate care while mentoring future specialists, embracing innovation and ensuring patients and families receive expert, responsive support when it matters most.

The Palliative Care Team for Residential and Nursing Homes (Not for Profit) Award

Hannah Pearson and Sue Pring, HCP Care 

HCP Care has redefined what outstanding palliative care can achieve. Through compassion, innovation and exceptional leadership, the team has taken its expertise beyond the UK, helping to educate professionals, influence systems and improve end-of-life care internationally. Their work is changing lives, changing mindsets and leaving a lasting legacy.

The Hospice Team Award

Rotherham Hospice 

“If I could plan for the end, this is where I would want to go.” There can be no greater testament to the exceptional care this team provides. Their unwavering compassion, dignity and person-centred approach create a place where individuals and families feel safe, supported and truly cared for during life’s final chapter.

Hospice at Home Team, Rotherham Hospice

This remarkable hospice team has shown exceptional compassion, professionalism and teamwork in delivering outstanding palliative and end-of-life care. Their unwavering commitment to supporting patients and families with dignity, empathy and kindness creates a lasting impact, ensuring every individual receives personalised care and comfort during life’s most challenging moments.

The Ancillary Worker Award

Collette Eldridge, Walmer Care Centre 

Collette consistently goes above and beyond to ensure residents’ wishes and choices remain at the heart of their care, especially in their final moments. She creates truly meaningful experiences, including helping a resident fulfil her lifelong wish of meeting the King, a memory that brought immense joy and was remembered even at her funeral. Through initiatives such as memorial services, life history celebrations, and opportunities for residents and friends to say goodbye, Collette provides comfort, dignity, and lasting closure for everyone involved.

Karl Marsden, Strong Life Care 

Karl brings endless energy, laughter, and positivity to every shift. Whether singing, dancing, playing board games, assisting with meals, or enjoying Catchphrase with residents, he always lifts spirits. His compassionate, person-centred care creates smiles daily. Karl works for his team and residents, making every moment meaningful. Karl’s enthusiasm is infectious, and residents are always delighted to spend time with him. He takes pride in creating meaningful moments, ensuring every resident feels valued, respected, and happy. For Karl, the greatest achievement is knowing he has made someone smile and brightened their day.

The Excellence in Palliative Care Nursing (Independent) Award

Hayley Grant, Belmont Healthcare

Hayley’s unwavering commitment to the continuous improvement of both herself and those around her truly sets her apart. Through inspirational leadership, mentorship and a passion for learning, she empowers colleagues to grow in confidence and capability while consistently delivering compassionate, high-quality care that positively impacts patients, families and her team.

The Old Rectory Nursing Home, The Old Rectory Nursing Home (Doncaster) Limited

Alex represented the Old Rectory very well demonstrating how quality of life can be improved with great multidisciplinary care.  Each person was looked after as they would expect rather than how others might expect. Each person in the multidisciplinary team had the culture of support and holistic care. It was inspiring to hear about a whole team approach. 

Dorothy Bentley, First Option Healthcare 

Dorothy is dedicated to making dreams come true for the people she supports, going above and beyond to create meaningful moments that bring comfort, joy and dignity. Her compassionate, person-centred approach ensures individual wishes are always at the heart of care, leaving a lasting impact on residents, families and colleagues alike.

Lavina Shahani , HCA Healthcare UK

Lavina demonstrated a beautiful transition into palliative care creating a seemless network. Lavina brings best practice from all around the UK. We look forward to seeing where her journey takes her and the impact she has on society.

The Excellence in Palliative Care Nursing (Not for Profit) Award

Julie McAvoy and Ruth Naylor-Thomas, Unity PEOLC

Julie and Ruth, your exceptional dedication to end-of-life care exemplifies compassion, dignity, and excellence. Your commitment to ensuring individuals and their families receive personalised, respectful, and meaningful support during life’s most vulnerable moments is truly inspiring. Thank you for the profound difference you make every day.

Michaela Griffiths, Helen and Douglas House Childrens Hospice

Michaela, your compassionate, family-centred approach to care demonstrates outstanding professionalism and empathy. Your thoughtful reflection highlighted the importance of listening to and honouring the wishes, values, and experiences of both children and their families. Your dedication and commitment to excellence are deeply inspiring.

The Workforce Development Award

Beverley A Manzar, Ebury Court Care Home

Beverley is a tenacious team player who come across as the heart and go to person at Ebury Court. She genuinely cares about everyone she works alongside and the residents and the family she supports. She goes above and beyond with research, creating training and ensuring monthly training and even more regular supervision for all the team. She believes training plays a pivotal role to the quality of the service and that it unites the team together and enhances the culture.

The End of Life Care Education Team, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

This team works across NHS services, care providers and the wider community to improve communication and support around end-of-life care. They champion the needs of people with learning disabilities, autism, older people and other underrepresented groups, ensuring every individual is heard and supported. As a close-knit, dedicated team, they are helping to change the national conversation around death and dying—making it easier for people to talk openly about their wishes, reduce fear and plan for the future with confidence and dignity.

The Diversity & Inclusion Award

Wendy Turl and Liz Gittins, Eden Valley Hospice 

This outstanding initiative has transformed end-of-life care for people with learning disabilities through compassionate innovation and meaningful co-production. By creating accessible, person-centred resources and strengthening collaboration across services, the team has improved equity, empowered families and professionals, and delivered a sustainable model that is making a lasting, measurable difference.

Wendy Freeman, Isabel Hospices

Wendy Freeman has an exceptional dedication to improving end-of-life care through inclusive, compassionate, and culturally sensitive education. With over 40 years’ experience, she has empowered staff across learning disability settings by tailoring training to individual needs, breaking down language barriers, and embracing diverse cultural perspectives around death and dying. Her commitment to reasonable adjustments, co-production with service users and families, and her willingness to challenge and educate with compassion have transformed confidence and understanding in care teams. Wendy’s approach—always person-centred, reflective, and rooted in empathy—ensures that end-of-life care is not “one size fits all” but truly meaningful for each individual, making a lasting impact on both staff and those they support.

The Innovation in End-of-Life Social Care Award

Julie McAvoy and Ruth Naylor-Thomas, Unity PEOCL 

A compassionate and highly innovative district nurse and paramedic duo whose exceptional teamwork, creativity and dedication ensure patients at the end of life are supported to achieve meaningful final wishes. Their person-centred approach brings comfort, preserves dignity and creates lasting, treasured memories for families and the wider community.

The Myton Hospices

An outstanding innovation that has strengthened collaborative working with primary care, enabling earlier identification and support for patients along their palliative journey. This proactive approach has improved continuity of care, enhanced communication, and helped individuals live well for longer with dignity, comfort and personalised support at the centre of their care.

The Bereavement Support Award

Ellie and Sue, Nicholas James Care Homes

I enjoyed learning about Ellie and Sue’s work and how they honoured each person’s wishes at the end of life. Their human-centred approach ensured individuals were treated with dignity, not as another number. I particularly valued their bereavement training and communication skills, supporting both patients and families with compassion and understanding.

Jane Morris, St Giles Hospice

I was impressed by Jane Morris and her approach to care. She tailors support to each individual’s needs and demonstrates that compassion can still thrive within strict boundaries. I particularly valued hearing how she advocates for young people, ensuring they feel heard, supported, and empowered.

The Support for Family Carers Award

Community and Family Support Services (CAFSS), Helen and Douglas House Children’s Hospice

Through exceptional leadership, compassion and unwavering dedication, they ensure that children with life-limiting conditions and their families are supported, heard and empowered at every stage of their journey, creating moments of joy, independence and normality while holding families together through the most challenging of times.

Ana Regis, The Brendoncare Foundation

Through exceptional compassion, trust and person-centred practice, this team ensures residents and their families feel truly heard, supported and respected. Their thoughtful approach creates meaningful moments of dignity, comfort and peace, leaving lasting memories and ensuring individuals are cared for with sensitivity and kindness during life’s final chapter.

The Best Fundraiser, Influencer and Campaigner Award

Andrew Johnson, The Education Training Collective

This inspiring project demonstrates exceptional compassion, education and community engagement in palliative and end-of-life care. By creating Comfort & Care packages, the team has brought dignity and comfort to patients and families while strengthening partnerships with local services. The initiative also breaks down stigma, encourages open conversation and has made a meaningful, lasting impact across the community.

Reach by Nightingale Hammerson

Nightingale Hammerson has delivered an outstanding and highly accessible education campaign supporting end-of-life planning. Through a series of expert-led videos with Dr Ros Taylor, the organisation empowers individuals and families with clear, compassionate information to make informed decisions, enhancing understanding, dignity and confidence in planning for the end of life.

The Partnership Working Across Health & Social Care Award

Dr Helena Dunbar and the Kentown Programme, Kentown Support

Kentown Support delivers an exceptional entry that demonstrates outstanding cross-system integration by uniting ten commissioners and multiple charities under one framework. The unique single point of access creates a true multidisciplinary team. Robust quantitative data and a rapid twenty-four-hour urgent response pathway keep families firmly at the centre of care.

Butterfly Project, Mid Notts EOLC Alliance, YourCVS Notts

The Butterfly Project provides a deeply impactful, holistic non-clinical model that effectively keeps families afloat. The service consistently exceeds commissioner targets for preferred place of death. Exceptional community roots and regular advance care planning reviews give individuals meaningful choice and visibility at the end of life.

The Integrated Care Systems Award

Comfort Care Services (UK) Ltd.

Comfort Care Services (UK) Ltd stood out for its deeply personalised, system-connected approach to palliative care. Their commitment to continual learning, robust impact measures, staff training and outcome improvement was clear. They demonstrated how collaboration, digital communication and compassionate planning can honour individual wishes while strengthening knowledge, confidence and care.

South East Lincolnshire Palliative Huddles, Lincolnshire Community Health Service

Lincolnshire Community Health Service show how practical huddles, shared records and trusted cross-sector relationships can reduce duplication, improve responsiveness and keep patients from falling through gaps. Their work has clearly benefited patients and the wider system, proving that partnership can overcome organisational politics and focus on need.

The Outstanding Volunteer Award 

Jo Eastman, Saint Francis Hospice

Jo Eastman is an extraordinary volunteer whose innovation, expertise and compassion have transformed palliative care at Saint Francis Hospice and beyond. By introducing and developing a pioneering ultrasound service, she has improved clinical decision-making, enhanced patient comfort and enabled dignified, person-centred care, while also shaping national practice and training clinicians across the UK.

The Outstanding Clinical Leadership in Palliative Care Award

Ruth Wills, Hospiscare

Ruth is an exceptional leader whose frontline humility, resilience and fierce patient advocacy represents the absolute best of our profession. She masterfully balances Operational complexity with a human centric approach, 24/7 rapid response team to provide critical care exactly when patients need it most. When faced with difficult service reduction, she maintains complete transparency, involving staff in finding creative alternatives that ensured the hospice’s long-term survival. Whether cultivating a non-punitive learning culture or personally placing a mattress on the floor to honour the comfort and dignity of an individual, she strips away clinical rigidity to put the human being first.

Liliana Branco, HCA Healthcare UK

Liliana exemplifies visionary leadership having pioneered the organisation’s first ever dedicated palliative care team within a private hospital network, scaling the service to a multi-site campus and building a multi faith sanctuary. She successfully transformed the hospital culture to embrace structured compassionate end of life care. Through her & the team’s Legacy of Love initiative, they provide grieving families with profound comfort from Lego connection hearts to heartfelt voice recording monuments. By prioritising the staff well-being and up skilling the wider multidisciplinary team, she has ensured that her legacy of compassion will endure for years to come.

The Lifetime Achievement in Palliative Care Award

Dr Ros Taylor MBE, Nightingale Hammerson

Dr Ros Taylor MBE has dedicated her career to transforming palliative and end-of-life care through exceptional clinical leadership, education and advocacy. Her lifelong commitment to improving understanding, championing dignity and empowering patients, families and professionals has left an enduring legacy, shaping compassionate care and inspiring generations across the sector.