THE Covid pandemic has been a difficult and anxious time for adults with severe learning difficulties, but staff at a care home in Kidderminster have gone above and beyond to provide extra support for the people in their care.

The team at Rosedene Residential Home in Franche Road have been recognised for their hard work over the last year as part of our Worcestershire Health & Social Care Awards 2021.

Rosedene has received two nominations, including one from the home's manager Ashleigh Vincent, for he Health Care Team Award.

Clareece Bartlett, who also nominated the Rosedene team, said: "Since the beginning of the pandemic, the team at Rosedene have consistently given their all to the residents they support. The manager of the home Ashleigh Vincent has consistently made decisions for the benefit and best interests of the service users and staff alike, like locking the home down early in March 2020, rather than waiting for government officials to decide. The team are always there for all service users and each other, often picking up extra shifts, sharing the work load and supporting each other."

Manager Ashleigh, who has worked at the home for six years, said her staff have worked tirelessly throughout the lockdowns, picking up extra shifts and working longer hours - even while some of the staff themselves were suffering with mental health difficulties.

"My team at this service have demonstrated time and time again how person centred and caring they genuinely are," said Ashleigh. "They work tirelessly and during this lockdown even though a few of the staff have suffered with mental health.

"They have fought with health professionals to get a diagnosis for one of our residents that kept being fobbed off due to having learning disabilities.

"This person we support was close to death but thanks to the endless work from staff not taking no for an answer, they were able to get her diagnosed with over active thyroid for which she is now receiving appropriate medication for."

The Rosedene team also supported one of its residents, aged in their 70s, who wanted to start wearing female clothes and growing their hair to allow them to feel comfortable in their own skin.

There is still time for you to tell us about your health care heroes.

This year Newsquest, publishers of the Worcester News, The Shuttle, Malvern Gazette, Bromsgrove and Droitwich Advertiser, Redditch Advertiser, and Evesham Journal, launched the Worcestershire Health & Social Care Awards 2021.

The awards, run in conjunction with the University of Worcester, seek to recognise people within the health and care industries that work tirelessly to care for us.

There are 12 awards up for grabs, and the finalists will be chosen by a panel of experts with the winners announced at a virtual awards ceremony broadcast live on our website and social media channels in May.

Readers have until midnight on Monday, April 5 to make their nominations.

Nominating is easy - just click here.

The awards have been made possible thanks to the support of several local businesses and organisations - Worcestershire County Council, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, Sanctuary Housing, Knights Pharmacy, Crossroads - Caring for Carers, and Insitu.