Ty won the Management Excellence Award category in the Laing & Buisson Independent Healthcare Awards. The Awards showcase professional skills, management leadership, excellence and spirit of enterprise in the independent healthcare social care sectors.

Commenting on Ty’s success, the judges said: “With a remit that requested the development of a quality business model, Ty set about balancing the conflicting demands of what this meant in reality: serving a not-for-profit organisation that is accountable to an elected board of managers and entrusted to an employed board of directors and managing a commercially viable business. He achieved this balance with outstanding results: occupancy now remains at 90%; EBITDAR has grown from 18% to 22%; and 76% of homes are now rated ‘good’ and 24% are rated ‘excellent’, compared to 15% ‘adequate’ and 85% ‘good’.”

Ty, who joined the HICA Group two and a half years ago as Director of Care Homes, was promoted to Managing Director within 18 months as a direct result of his achievements. These include enhanced care home environments, incorporating award-winning designs for dementia care, improved staff training, superior nutrition, specialised menus for people with dementia, the introduction of new quality and compliance procedures, improvements to occupational activities and clear leadership.

HICA Chief Executive Andrew Stow said: ”It was a real achievement for Ty to become a finalist but then to go on and win the national award when he was competing against representatives of some of the biggest healthcare groups in the UK is outstanding. Ty was up against not only people in our own care sector but also those in the much wider healthcare industry. This is the first time in many years that someone from a smaller organisation has challenged the big names to win this award.”

Ty said: “I’m delighted to have gained the award because it highlights the outstanding progress that the Care Homes Division has made and continues to make in ensuring that we provide the best possible care and the best possible facilities.”

HICA Care Homes operates 26 care homes throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, meeting the needs of over 900 residents.

Andrea competed against eight other regional finalists in the Great British Care Home Awards to win The Care Trainer category after beating hundreds of entrants to reach the national finals.

At a gala awards evening held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Andrea was presented with a trophy and certificate by television personality Christopher Biggins and Karen Rogers, representing the award sponsors, Herefordshire Care Homes.

Andrea said: “I was really thrilled when I heard my name being called out. In the finals I was competing against highly experienced individuals and also a team of trainers who collectively had 273 years of training experience, so it’s even more rewarding to know that the training HICA delivers has been judged to be the best in Britain.”

The judges said that Andrea demonstrated empathy as a care trainer towards the service users and staff she trains. They said they were impressed by “her passion, person-centred approach and use of activities and scenarios in her work setting.”

Stevie Scott, HICA’s Head of HR and Training, said: “Andrea’s success is testament to the investment in training and development that HICA is making across the organisation. This investment is part of our commitment to having the best trained workforce in the care sector, enabling us to make a real difference to the lives of people who have dementia.”

Andrea joined HICA in 2006 as an Administrative Assistant within the HR Department and later that year moved into a training role. She is responsible for sourcing, co-ordinating, implementing and reviewing all training for HICA’s care home staff.

The Group currently employs 2,138 staff who meet the needs of approximately 2,500 people in its Care Homes, Homecare and Lifestyle Village operations.

Mr Stow said: “Matthew Rockett’s appointment, together with earlier senior management team appointments, provides the Group with a very experienced management team which will be instrumental in supporting the on-going development and growth of HICA.”

Mr Rockett has joined HICA after five years with Aghoco 1022 Ltd, the holding company of the Beverley-based Chem-Dry Group. He qualified as an accountant in 2000 with PricewaterhouseCoopers and later became Financial Accountant with Smith and Nephew in Hull and Group Accountant with the AIM-listed company, Advanced Fluid Connections PLC.

He said: “I am thrilled to have joined HICA at this exciting time in the company’s history. HICA is a fast expanding and dynamic business and I look forward to contributing to the growth and strategy of the business, ensuring that the business infrastructure continues to provide all necessary support during this transitional period and well into the future.”