Outstanding employer award for care homes company

Ashmere Care Homes operates the homes, Sutton Court, Sutton Manor and Sutton Lodge, which are all located on Priestsic Road.

The accolade was handed to the firm’s Derbyshire section after winning the outstanding care employer category at the East Midlands Care Awards. Ashmere Derbyshire, which is responsible for seven homes across the county, now goes forward to the national finals of the awards next March.

In naming Ashmere the winners, the judges said: “There is a palpable sense that the employees at Ashmere are an extended family.

“Staff are empowered to help deliver good outcomes for residents and to make someone’s day.”

Company director David Poxton, who collected the award, said: “I am so pleased to have all the hard work we, as a company, do for our employees acknowledged in what is a very challenging industry.

“We began this journey several years ago when we decided to go for the Investors In People award. We still have plenty of ideas for improvements, and receiving this award will only help to spur us on.”

Ashmere offers day care, respite care and residential care for the elderly, people with dementia, the younger disabled and also patients who require specialist nursing.

The firm’s seven care homes in Derbyshire, which employ 280 staff, are based at Ripley, Codnor, Smalley, Matlock and Ilkeston. An eighth home is set to open in Heanor in early 2018, bringing a further 60 jobs to the area.

The three Sutton homes, each of which care for about 50 people, were all given Good ratings by the Care Quality Commission after their latest inspections.