Milton Keynes company wins national Care Employer of the Year award

Trail-blazing specialist care home provider, PJ Care has been crowned Care Employer of the Year in the Great British Care Awards

The accolade, presented at the East of England awards night at The MK DONS Stadium, recognises PJ Care’s outstanding care culture.

The company’s managing director Steve Feery said: “PJ Care prides itself on looking after our staff who then care for our residents.

“People are the most important asset a company has and we invest in wellbeing, training, corporate social responsibility, equality, diversity and inclusion and benefits as well as paying the real living wage.

“Thank you to all the PJ Care team who made this award possible.”

Social Care Nurse, Sana Samaab won Social Care Nurse of the Year for her dedication and commitment to the people she cares for.

Other PJ Care award finalists nominated for the difference they make to people’s lives were Christine Clark for Care Home Activities Organiser; Shaban Adrees, Martina Cole and Isabela Mazur for Care Home Worker; Vanessa Boakye for Care Newcomer; Diana Nkerabahizi for Frontline Leader and Tayo Oluwole and Eunice Omole for Social Care Nurse.

Pam O’Connell, Head of Joy and Wellbeing, who has been with the company for 10 years said: “It’s truly humbling to be recognised as the employer of the year for theregion because there are so many excellent care homes but to know that PJ Care has been chosen as the #1 care home is testament to all the hard work that our staff put in every day.”

Last month saw employee, Josephine Appiah, win a new Renault Clio in the annual company car raffle. Over 500 staff employed at PJ Care were entered into the draw made to celebrate “founders’ day”, the birthday of PJ Care’s founder Jan Flawn, CBE, on October 18.

Josephine, who has worked at PJ Care for 12 years at their Bluebirds unit in Shenley Lodge, said: “PJ Care is a good company to work for. Not many companies give you a gift like this!”

PJ Care is a leading provider of specialist neurological care and neuro rehabilitation for people with progressive or acquired neurological conditions.

It was founded in 2000 by former nurse Jan , who opened the Bluebirds care centre in Milton Keynes as she felt passionate about providing age-appropriate care for people with young onset dementia.

Since Bluebirds opened, PJ Care has flourished as a company, opening its second site in Milton Keynes, Mallard House, Grange Park in 2006, then moving its head office to Sherwood Place, Bletchley in 2008.

In 2012 PJ Care opened its latest site, Eagle Wood, located in Peterborough.

All units specialise in the multi-disciplinary care of adults, delivering a high standard of care to residents, whilst supporting their families.

The experienced teams are made up of carers, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, nutritionists and neuropsychologists.

Neil Russell, Jan Flawn’s son, took over as Chair of the company in 2018 and is proud that PJ Care remains a family-friendly business to this day.