This month, we’re celebrating five years of NICHE (Nurturing Innovation in Care Home Excellence) Leeds. NICHE Leeds is a partnership between care organisations, and the University of Leeds with Leeds Beckett University and Leeds City Council. The academic team work closely with staff, residents and families and friends to idenitfy the issues that matter, and work together to develop solutions and put these solutions into day-to-day practice.

To mark five years of NICHE, and to look forward to the next five, a celbartion event took place at the University of Leeds.

Peter Hodkinson, Managing Director of Westward Care, noted: “Where can I begin with what a difference being part of NICHE has made to our practices at Westward Care. Not only has this partnership improved and enhanced the care our staff deliver to residents on a daily basis, but being a vital part of the participatory research of NICHE has enabled our staff to feel valued, understood and recognised as health and social care expert professionals, who are contributing to the development of this sector we all love so much. 

It is important for us, too, to be part of this prestigious partnership with the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds City Council and other care organisations. Not only has it connected us with partners and colleagues across Europe, but it’s enabled us to learn from each other in a collaborative and enriching way. 

But, ultimately, being part of NICHE highlights one of our most important values at Westward Care: continuing to deliver the best care we can for our residents and their families. Here’s to the next five years.”

Over the past five years, NICHE has been part of many initiatives at Southlands, Headingley Hall and Pennington Court, including supporting residents to maintain oral hygiene, supporting residents living with dementia, understanding more about how to recruit and attract staff to the sector and using technology for contact tracing.