There are 21 categories for care homes to enter, including 5 Gold awards for Outstanding Achievement. To arrive at their list of refinements and amendments to the category list, the independent advisors, reviewing the categories for 2023, were asked to make sure that winners and high commendations would be able to use their success to communicate key attributes about their care home or group to potential new residents. As a result the category list is much clearer.

Care Home categories

• Best for Communication and Use of Digital Channels – sponsored by Gold Care Homes
  (with all stakeholders and for community engagement)
• Best for Wellbeing
  (including alternative therapies, non-clinical facilities and social, leisure
  or inspirational activities to enrich residents’ lives)
• Best for Use of Technology and Digital Care Strategy – presented by Care Home Management
  (for the benefit of residents or staff, and including partnerships with technology companies or universities)
• Best for Nutrition, Food and Dining – sponsored by Mitre Linen
• Best Continuing Covid-19 Response – sponsored by Autumna
  (including Infection prevention and control and safe visiting spaces)
• Best Facilities Management, Maintenance or Housekeeping Team
• Best for Use of Care Management Software
  (including personalised admission management, care plans, etc, and including partnerships with technology companies or universities)
• Best Care Home Marketing, Advertising or PR Activities – sponsored by the Care Show
• Best for Staff Recruitment and Retention – sponsored by the Residential & Home Care Show
  (including recruitment campaigns)
• Best for Training and Development – sponsored by Paragon Skills
  (including care for staff mental well-being, and partnerships with professional training organisations)
• Best for Nursing Care
  (including medication management, clinical facilities, partnerships with universities or hospital trusts, etc)
• Best for Specialist Care
  (covering adults, young people and children for all types of specialist care,
  including stroke, dementia and mental health, brain injury, physical disability
  or complex 1-2-1 care, including partnerships with universities or hospital trusts, etc)
• Best for Innovation in Care
  (including including partnerships with commercial companies, universities or hospital trusts)
• Best for Architecture or Interior Design
  (where it can be shown design helps facilitate resident activity and living)
• Best for Indoor or Outdoor Communal Spaces
  (emphasising contribution to resident engagement, involvement and well-being)
• Best New Care Home – sponsored by Avery Healthcare
  (opened between Jan 1, 2021 and Dec 31, 2022 and should show how
  architecture, interior design, technology and services work together to provide
  a physical platform to enhance well-being for residents and staff)

Outstanding Achievement categories (Gold Awards)

(To enter these Outstanding Achievement categories you must have entered at least one of the Care Home categories above.)

• Outstanding Care Provider in a Group
• Outstanding Independent Care Provider
• Outstanding Smaller Group Care Provider (up to 25 homes)
• Outstanding Mid-size Group Care Provider (26-75 homes) – sponsored by Xledger
• Outstanding Larger Group Care Provider (over 75 homes) – sponsored by Bidfood