Pembrokeshire County Council is supporting the West Wales Health and Care awards with its sponsorship of a key award.

The local authority is sponsor of the Housing with Care Award.

Pembrokeshire County Council's Director of Social Services and Housing, Michael Gray, said: " The West Wales Health and Care Awards provide a fantastic opportunity to recognise and showcase the crucial work that health and care services undertake day in day out to support people to do what matters to them.

"Good quality, fit for purpose housing should be the bedrock of any additional care and support that people need to live well in their own communities for as long as possible. This is why it felt right to sponsor this year's Housing with Care Award.

"Pembrokeshire County Council is striving to be an employer of choice when it comes to working in care. We have a range of roles on offer and we offer a clear sense of purpose for our staff, encapsulated in our vision “Working Together, Improving Lives.”

"By supporting these awards we want to also promote the Local Authority as a place where people can embark on and develop their career in care. For more information on what it’s like working in Social Care in Pembrokeshire County Council, please view Work in Social Care-Pembrokeshire County Council.

Mr Gray said it is important to recognise the importance of the work carried out by those people employed in the health and care sector.

"The majority of people working in front-line roles do so out of a sense of vocation. This means that day to day work that really makes a difference can go unacknowledged. The West Wales Health and Care Awards are one way that as a sector, we can promote the great work that we do."

He added: "At a time of unprecedented demands on our public services, and a strong sense of post COVID lethargy, it is important to focus on morale of our staff, both for their benefit but also, as a means to doing all we can to promote recruitment and retention of health and care staff. Celebrating the individuals and teams that go above and beyond to support people to live healthy independent lives is one way to focus on the morale of the sector.

"Luckily, I have not had much call to draw upon health provision to date, but I have many members of my family that have. Our health and care system, whilst not perfect, tries on a day to day basis to deliver the best care it can with the resources it has got. This innovation, creativity, tenacity and resilience deserves to be celebrated."

The headline sponsor of the West Wales Health and Care Awards 2023 is Werndale Hospital. The awards and sponsors of the West Wales Health and Care Awards 2023 are: Outstanding Achievement Award: Werndale Hospital; Primary Care Person of the year: Direct Nursing Services; Community Based Individual of the Year: The Excellence in Quality Health and Social Care: Pembrokeshire College; Volunteer of the Year: Kindness/Care Hero Award: Primary Care Team of the Year: Mental Health Award: National Grid; Hospital Staff Member of the year: Care Home of the Year: Direct Nursing Services; GP Practice of the Year

The West Wales Health and Care Awards presentation evening is being held at The Pavilion, Haverfordwest, on Thursday, October 26, starting at 7pm.