Michelle Williams receives Chief Nurse’s Silver Award

England’s Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care has conferred her Silver Award upon Fairfield’s Director of Care

At the annual Fairfield summer party held in June for residents, families and staff, we celebrated the national award conferred upon Fairfield’s Director of Care, Michelle Williams.  Earlier in the year, England’s Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Professor Deborah Sturdy, had held a virtual ceremony when she awarded her prestigious Silver Medal to Michelle.

The award, for Michelle’s exceptional leadership during the challenging times of the pandemic, recognised her unwavering commitment to the well-being of our staff, residents, and the broader community.

Trustee, Dr Sally Hope, presents the award to Michelle in the virtual ceremony conducted by Professor Deborah Sturdy (on screen)

At the onset of Covid-19, Michelle took the visionary decision, after team discussion, to lockdown Fairfield early as a proactive safety measure, two weeks BEFORE the Government guidelines (March 2020). With great leadership and courage, she carried staff, residents and their families with her, when it was not Government policy.

She was also responsible for interpreting the often confusing protocols from Public Health England, constantly seeking advice from their senior officers who sometimes understood the issues less well than she. Her insights led to Michelle playing a national role in exposing the difficulties experienced by Care Homes.  She was interviewed on the lack of Covid testing on the Radio 4 Today programme, and spoke confidently on BBC Television News at 6 and News at 10, bringing the issues to national attention.

Michelle also collaborated closely with Public Health England, ensuring that our residential home had access to the necessary resources and expertise.  Fairfield owes a great deal to Michelle for her clinical leadership, her tireless efforts, and her holistic approach to keeping our community protected and promoting their well-being throughout the challenging times.

Michelle said, “It is a great personal honour to have received this silver medal and award from the Chief Nurse and I want to express my gratitude to the Trustees of Fairfield for submitting my nomination to the National Committee.  Above all, I regard the award as an important recognition of the quality and commitment of the whole team here at Fairfield.”