NEWS RELEASE
Number: 50/19
13th September 2019
Services for Independent Living (SIL) saw success at the 2019 Hereford Times Health & Social Care Awards when Support Worker, Gary Meddings, not only won the Care Hero award, but also scooped the best-of-the-best award for his Outstanding Contribution to Health & Social Care.
Gary, who is part of SIL’s Independent Living at Home (ILH) Service, is following in the footsteps of SIL Team Leader Elaine Powell, who won the Care Hero award in 2018. To have a finalist each year in this category reflects just how committed SIL’s staff are to ensuring their service users are always at the centre of everything that is done; but to have a winner both years is a fantastic achievement.
Lisa Bradley, SIL’s Head of ILH, said: “We are all really proud of Gary. While this is a tribute to the hard work he has given the people he supports this year, it is also an award for all our team. To me and to the people they support, they are all care heroes.”
SIL also had a finalist in the Mental Health First Aid Champion category. Chief Executive, Euan McPherson has been an advocate for promoting good mental health and has led the way in Herefordshire to train people to understand issues concerning MH, how to recognise some of the symptoms and how to support people with MH problems.
Euan undertook the Mental Health First Aid England accredited training last year to become one of the first qualified trainers of MHFA in Herefordshire. Through SIL, Euan now offers both one and two day MHFA courses to employers across the county, and SIL is proud that over 80% of its staff are now Mental Health First Aiders.
Euan said: “SIL is committed to ensuring our staff all benefit from an environment which encourages open conversation about how people are feeling and, where appropriate, offering support to those who are experiencing mental ill health.
“As we all know, nowadays mental health issues are far less likely to be swept under the carpet and more and more employers are recognising the value of good practice in the workplace. By acting sooner rather than later, employers can reduce absences related to mental ill health and foster a healthier and happier workforce”.
For more information about SIL’s services visit: www.s4il.co.uk Call; 01568 616653 or E: contactus@s4il.co.uk
ENDS………
