Family run Fife business Abottsford Care celebrates success at Scottish Care Awards

The family run Abbotsford Care celebrated at the event which showcased the best of the independent care home sector in Scotland.

Sam Smith, lead nurse from Bayview, Methil, won Nurse of the Year category at the ceremony in Glasgow.

She was nominated by Yvonne Manson, care and clinical services director, who said: “What makes Sam unique is she will never give up.

“Her dedication to the residents is heart-warming. You can see the compassion she shows to all, no matter who they are. She treats everyone the same. “Sam has shown great nursing leadership throughout the pandemic.”

Alyson Vale, business and operations director at Abbotsford Care in Kirkcaldy, won the ‘Positive Impact’ category.

The award was given in recognition of someone who has made a significant and sustained impact on the care home sector.

During the pandemic, Abbotsford has been involved in creating a range of easy read posters providing complex information and making it user friendly for their staff, relatives, and residents.

Alyson has also worked with Fife Health and Social Care Partnership to share work going on in Abbotsford and recently collaborated to create a programme enabling residents’ voices to be heard.

She said: “I definitely was not expecting it, I feel so privileged as I am supported by an amazing team of staff and the community of Abbotsford Care who really are like family.

“They are the backbone of everything we do.”

Abbotsford Care also jointly won the training, learning and staff development category.