International Nurses’ Day: clinical excellence at Care UK

Today, Tuesday 12^th May, marks  International Nurses’ Day and, at Care UK, nurses are being praised for their continued hard work and dedication.

Last month, Care UK’s clinical leadership team was nationally recognised by the Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy, and presented with the Chief Nurse Adult Social Care team award.

The team, who are leaders in care quality and care policy, were recognised for their incredible work in supporting over 1,500 registered nurses throughout the organisation.

Upon receipt of the award, Rachel Harvey, Director of Care, Quality and Regulatory Governance at Care UK said: “This award is a demonstration of the team’s hard work and their ongoing commitment to delivering the best quality of care for residents. The example they set as role models for excellence in adult social care inspire those across the organisation and beyond.  We are incredibly proud of their achievements and grateful for their continued dedication to supporting clinical colleagues across Care UK.”

Their support reaches across the organisation, but specifically to those who are completing training at Care UK’s Seacole Academy.

The Seacole Academy of Care and Clinical Excellence was introduced in 2024 and aims to continually grow and develop the nursing and care workforce to become specialists in older people’s nursing.

Since its inception in 2024, 343 colleagues graduated through the academy’s workstreams. Its purpose is to train colleagues who are new to nursing, new to nursing in the UK, or would like to develop into a more clinically-focused role.

Prajeesh ‘Praji’ Poulose, Care and Clinical Services Lead Nurse at Care UK, began his career at Care UK as a Registered Nurse and, over time, progressed through various senior managerial roles to lead policy and procedures for nurses across the organisation. .

He said: “Care UK has provided the support, mentorship and opportunities that allowed me to grow, both professionally and personally. Throughout my career, I’ve remained passionate about delivering high-quality, person-led care. I’m now proud and excited to lead the Seacole Academy into its next phase. The Academy is at the heart of our commitment to fulfilling lives. It equips colleagues with the clinical knowledge, confidence and practical skills they need to continue to provide safe, compassionate care in our homes.”

The Seacole Academy is divided into three clinical stages: the nurturing phase, the intermediate phase, and the advanced phase. Each phase supports the development of nurses, no matter their previous knowledge or skill set.

The nurturing phase allows newly-qualified colleagues or nurses returning to practice to shadow other nurses and includes a practical revalidation.

For supported development, the intermediate phase includes leadership workshops, clinical skills and development workshops. Alongside this, skills including emergency first aid and fire warden training are available, providing nurses with a well-rounded set of skills to develop into the advanced phase.

In the advanced phase, nurses are trained in Namaste care and are encouraged more into the mentoring and training of others.

The academy has supported nurses at Care UK to reach their full potential and is a great example of the hard work every nurse should be recognised for this International Nurses’ Day.

If you are looking to return to a career in nursing or  are passionate about caring for others, check Care UK’s careers page to find out more about opportunities near you: https://www.careuk.com/careers