Staff and residents at Austen House Care Home in Lower Earley are celebrating because managing director Natasha Lazovic has been nominated as a finalist in the Great British Care Awards 2023.
She has been shortlisted in the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Social Care category.
The London final is part of the Great British Care Awards, a series of nine regional awards celebrating excellence across the care sector with the aim of promoting best practice within the home care and care home sectors.
The awards ceremony will take place on November 18, and the winner will go forward to the national final next year.
Natasha came to the UK in 1994 from Serbia, and started her training as a nurse. She has progressed from a registered nurse to managing director, working in a variety of care settings, both in the NHS and private sector.
She joined Barchester, owners of Austen House, in 2014 as regional director leading 10 homes, which then doubled to 20 as senior regional director. As managing director she now oversees more than 80 care homes in the South Division.
Natasha said: “I am very humbled to be nominated for this award, and I am very proud to be part of the shortlist, and to be representing Barchester as a finalist.
“It is an honour to be recognised for doing a job I love and I wish to continue to make outstanding contributions going forward, I am hugely passionate about the care sector.”
Barchester Healthcare’s CEO, Dr Pete Calveley, added: “It comes as no surprise to me that Natasha has been short-listed for this award.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing and working alongside her for more than 18 years.
“She is an incredible leader who is totally devoted to her teams and her residents.
“I can think of no one who deserves this award more than she does.”
Austen House Care Home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers.
Austen House Care Home provides residential, nursing and specialist dementia care.
