Herefordshire’s GPs have thrown their weight behind an awards scheme that recognizes the outstanding work of health and social care staff.

Taurus Healthcare, a federation of all 19 GP practices in the county, has announced it is sponsoring The Care Home Worker category at this year’s Hereford Times Health and Social Care Awards.

The Award recognises and celebrates the achievements of an individual care home worker who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. The winner of the award will have shown outstanding levels of commitment to providing person-centred care in the care home environment.

Dr Mike Hearne, Managing Director at Taurus Healthcare and practising GP, said: “Care Homes are an integral part of our health and social care system.

"The coronavirus pandemic has been an especially difficult time for all of those who work in care homes.

"This award recognises the achievements of one exceptional care home worker, but we would also like to pay tribute to all those who look after the more vulnerable members of our society in the care home environment, both during the current crisis and every day of the year.”

Taurus Healthcare has three main purposes:

  • To support General Practices to be safe, effective, efficient and resilient, for example by providing ‘back office’ services such as recruitment, finance and human resources
  • To deliver services on behalf of GP practices that improve provision across the county and enable 24/7 access to primary care
  • To provide strategic leadership for Herefordshire General Practice by representing GPs at a range of important strategic and tactical meetings and consultations. In so doing, it ensures that GPs’ collective voice is heard.

One of the services operated by Taurus Healthcare is weekend GP support for care homes.

Celebrating excellence

Throughout the pandemic, clinicians working in Taurus Healthcare’s COVID Management Service have also regularly been on hand to review patients in care homes and to offer advice and support to GPs when major incidents have occurred.

This is the second consecutive year that Taurus Healthcare has sponsored a Health and Social Care Awards category.

Dr Hearne explains: “We see sponsorship of the awards as an opportunity to celebrate and appreciate excellence in the health and social care sector.

"We are particularly delighted to be able to support this year’s awards in recognition of the exceptional circumstances we have all faced since lockdown in March.

"The way everyone has ‘stepped up to the mark’ and responded to the – often rapid – unprecedented changes required of us has been truly humbling.

"The awards offer us the chance to raise a glass to them all.”