The 2026 Hertfordshire Care Awards
Thank you for celebrating with us!
The Hertfordshire Care Awards 2026 have now taken place, and what a fantastic evening it was.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended, supported, sponsored, nominated, and helped make this year’s awards such a special celebration of our adult social care workforce. It was a privilege to recognise the dedication, compassion, innovation, and excellence shown across the sector.
Congratulations to all of our finalists and winners. Being shortlisted is a tremendous achievement, and we are incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding individuals, teams, and organisations making a difference across Hertfordshire every day.
If you attended the awards and would like to relive the evening, you can view and purchase official event photographs by clicking the button below.
Thank you once again for helping make the Hertfordshire Care Awards 2026 a memorable success.
Stay up to date with all the latest news and announcements by following us @hcpaltd on social media.
2026 Winners
Here are our 2026 Hertfordshire Care Award’s winners…
To purchase a photo please contact events@hcpa.co.uk
Outstanding Achievement in Homecare
Winner: Lisa Banda, L&F Care Services
Sponsored by Care Choices
The Compassion Award for Residential Care
Winner: Colin Lines, Mountbatten Lodge (Collected on his behalf)
Sponsored by Howden Insurance
Outstanding Achievement in Adult Disability or Mental Health Support
Winner: Kerry Hutson, Partners In Support
Sponsored by Blizzard for Business
The Care Leadership Award
Winner: Lynn James-Wellings, Care First 24
Sponsored by HCR Law
The Contribution to Care Award
Winner: St Andrews Engagement Team, B&M Care
Sponsored by Overseas Immigration
Most Innovative Residential Care Team
Winner: Treetops Namaste Care Team, Belmont View, Quantum Care Ltd
Sponsored by apetito
Most Innovative Adult Disability or Mental Health Support Team
Winner: Knightingles Healthcare Team Leaders
Sponsored by Peninsula
Most Innovative Homecare Team
Winner: Doves Care Agency
Sponsored by Specsavers Home Visits Hertfordshire
The Care Culture Award
Winner: Hightown Housing, Voicebox
Sponsored by Virtual IT
The Special Recognition Award
Winner: DRUM
Sponsored by The Care Professional Academy
Outstanding Achievement in Homecare
This award is for individual Homecare staff members who have made a difference and have tailored care specifically for an individual. There must be evidence of great ideas and innovation.
Criteria:
- This individual has made a difference within an organisation and evidence from others supports this.
- They have tailored care specifically for an individual and improved their life quality.
- They are innovative, caring and compassionate.
The Compassion Award for Residential Care
For an individual who works in a residential or nursing home setting and has shown outstanding compassion
Criteria:
- This individual is committed, communicates well, is competent and courageous. Their care reflects this.
- They are flexible and deliver care to meet individual needs.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about their compassionate and personalised care.
Outstanding Achievement in Adult Disability or Mental Health Support
For an individual who works day-to-day supporting a person, or people who live with a learning disability or need mental health support. There must be evidence of great ideas and innovation.
Criteria:
- This individual is committed, communicates well, is competent and courageous. Their care reflects this.
- They are flexible and deliver care to meet individual learning disability needs.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about their outstanding and personalised care.
The Care Leadership Award
For a care employee in a leadership position who has proved to be an excellent leader, coach and support to others.
Criteria:
- This leader engages fully in leadership training.
- Motivates staff and coaches them to achieve identifiable outcomes for service users.
- Is self-motivated in promoting their ‘can-do’ attitude to everyone else.
The Contribution to Care Award
Open to anyone who you think has made an outstanding achievement in supporting or caring for others in a care setting. Domestic Staff, Kitchen Staff, Volunteers, Handymen, Care – Co-ordinators, Care Staff, whole teams or a business. Anyone can be nominated.
Criteria:
- This individual is committed, communicates well and is caring, and the way they deal with users of services reflects this.
- They are flexible and deliver their work or support to meet individual needs.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about their compassionate and outstanding way of supporting users of services.
Residential Care Team of the Year
A whole residential, nursing or other care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Criteria:
- This team meet regularly to share best practice and implement it.
- The teamwork in partnership to create clear wellbeing outcomes for service users: This includes utilising specialist training.
- Specific innovative ideas have been implemented by the team that have made a difference.
Adult Disability or Mental Health Support Team of the Year
A whole care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Criteria:
- This team meet regularly to share best practice and implement it.
- The teamwork in partnership to create clear wellbeing outcomes for service users: This includes utilising specialist training.
- Specific innovative ideas have been implemented by the team that have made a difference.
Homecare Team of the Year
A whole domiciliary care team or business who have made an outstanding achievement in the last year in relation to innovation and development.
Criteria:
- This team meet regularly to share best practice and implement it.
- The teamwork in partnership to create clear wellbeing outcomes for service users: This includes utilising specialist training.
- Specific innovative ideas have been implemented by the team that have made a difference.
The Care Culture Award
Open to all providers this award is reflecting the outstanding culture within any care organisation. It has been identified that the culture of a care company is the basis of everything, from safety to care, compassion and success. The winner of this award will have an outstanding care culture within.
Criteria:
- Change, improvement and innovation is driven by the entire staff team, families and clients and not just senior leaders or managers.
- Staff have fed back about the supportive, dynamic and learning culture of the organisation.
- Feedback has been received from service users and families about the compassionate and outstanding way the organisation supports individuals because of their unique culture.