Caremark announces UK's top 10 'incredible' care assistants

Ten finalists, chosen from over 5,000 care assistants across the country, have been recognised for their exceptional dedication, compassion, and profound commitment to making a positive difference for their customers. Each finalist has touched lives in ways that go far beyond caregiving, fostering independence, companionship, and hope.

The 2024 ‘Incredibles’ finalists include:

• Nitu Nitu and Sarmanjeet Kaur – Caremark Barking and Dagenham In a joint nomination, Nitu and Sarmanjeet’s teamwork and compassion lifted a terminally ill customer’s spirits, significantly extending her life expectancy. Known for their uplifting presence, they created a strong bond with this customer, who wore a t-shirt with their names on when meeting with her healthcare providers to make a statement about her choices.

• Perpetua (Pep) Obehioye Bryne-Jagboro – Caremark Bournemouth Going above and beyond, Pep personally remembers every customer’s birthday, offers extended companionship and even rented a car to ensure her customers weren’t without care. Known for her sunny disposition, she brings joy and independence to her customers and frequently pursues additional training to enrich their lives.

• Arjanpreet (Preet) Dhaliwal – Caremark Cardiff and the Vale Preet’s quick thinking and compassionate approach saved a customer’s life during a stroke emergency. Her dedication also extends to learning Welsh phrases to comfort a customer at the end of their life, connecting with a grieving customer through music, and breaking down barriers of fear with her warm personality.

• Rachel Driscoll – Caremark Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Rachel’s intuitive and compassionate care has helped a customer with communication difficulties find comfort and connection. A busy mother of five, she selflessly supports others, even delivering meals on Christmas to those alone. She is a quiet hero who humbly builds trust, confidence and rapport with her customers.

• Malcolm Lomberg – Caremark Cambridge Malcolm’s patience helped a young adult customer gain the confidence to leave the house, a real milestone in their care journey. He brings joy to older customers by including them in outdoor trips, listening to stories, and engaging in games and activities that lift their spirits.

• Nicole Drury – Caremark Hull and East Riding Nicole’s dedication helped an 88-year-old brain injury survivor reintegrate into the community and regain independence after years in residential care. She meticulously coordinated his discharge, overseeing every detail and mentoring her team to ensure a compassionate and unified approach to his care.

• Judith Taylor – Caremark Kirklees Judith’s gentle approach encourages her dementia customers to maintain daily skills and independence. Known for her ‘above and beyond’ spirit, she has even taken customer laundry home to ensure uninterrupted care during a kitchen renovation.

• Nicola Carter – Caremark Mansfield & Ashfield Nicola’s commitment to care shines in her efforts to support multiple customers facing hoarding and mobility challenges, helping them make a safe home environment and foster their independence. She earned the trust of one customer who confided in her with a personal identity change and helped transform their life.

• Suhuur Mohamed – Caremark Pulborough Suhuur’s ability to build deep, meaningful connections has helped a bed-bound customer to start responding to conversation, eat, take medication, and even consider getting out of bed again. Her unique blend of professional care and companionship has profoundly touched the lives of her customers and their families.

• Neetindra Singh – Caremark Worcester and Malvern Hills With unwavering support, Neetindra guided a wheelchair-bound customer with a brain injury back to mobility. He creates a collaborative, empowering environment where customers feel actively involved in their care, and social services have praised his exceptional dedication.

David Glover, joint CEO of Caremark, commented:

A huge congratulations to all our finalists – the nominees for this year’s award are nothing short of remarkable. These are people who not only perform their jobs with excellence but do so with a deep sense of empathy and a genuine desire to improve the lives of others. They represent the heart of Caremark and the broader care community.

I’m so proud of the outstanding care our team provides to customers across the UK each day. It’s a privilege to be honouring our finalists’ achievements with a dedicated awards event again this year. We hope this recognition will show them how much we appreciate their compassion, encourage continued excellence within the care sector and inspire more shared stories next year.

To honour these inspiring care assistants, Caremark will be hosting a special event at the iconic Fortnum & Mason at the end of the month. The event will offer a chance for finalists to network, enjoy a luxurious afternoon tea, and be celebrated for their extraordinary contributions to the care sector. The highlight of the event will be the exciting announcement of The Incredible of the Year, a title reserved for the finalist whose work has shown exceptional dedication and impact.