Daniell Davies @ SilverCrest

Itec Skills’ Level 5 Apprentice Achieves Double Gold at National Care Awards

Daniell Davies undertook her Level 5 Leadership and Management Apprenticeship to expand her knowledge, develop her leadership skills and explore new career opportunities within health and social care.

Her apprenticeship became the catalyst for a project that would make a meaningful difference to residents and their families at Silvercrest Care, earning her two gold awards in recognition of her achievements.

Creating a space for comfort and dignity

Through her involvement in admissions and links with Marie Curie nurses, Daniell and the Itec Apprenticeship team recognised an opportunity to improve the experience of residents approaching the end of life and their loved ones.

Her idea was shaped by her own personal experience. Having lost both parents at a young age in different care environments, Daniell understood how important compassionate, welcoming support can be during bereavement.

Combining this personal insight with research and a clear business case, she transformed an underused double bedroom into a bespoke palliative and end-of-life care space.

Every detail was carefully considered to create a calm, homely environment. Earthy colours, a floral feature wall, a day bed for overnight family stays, tea and coffee facilities and practical furniture were introduced to help families feel comfortable and supported.

Daniell wanted loved ones to be able to spend precious time together without worrying about having to ask for basic comforts.

Daniell said, “Actually having the room open and people using it and to be having your team behind you. The staff have been so enthusiastic and, it’s just been lovely to see”

Making a difference

Daniell, with the support of the Itec team is continuing to develop the initiative, with plans for memory boxes, bereavement support information and stronger links with community organisations. She has already contacted Cruse Bereavement Support and begun discussions with a local funeral home about potential training.

She has also learned from early feedback, recognising that some facilities, including the television, were more complicated to use than anticipated. This has helped her identify opportunities to improve the experience further.

The project has received strong support from colleagues and Silvercrest, with the potential for similar rooms to be introduced across the group’s other homes.

How the apprenticeship made a difference

The Itec apprenticeship team has helped Daniell turn an initial idea into a structured, evidence-based project.

The research that she undertook with the support from the Itec team undertaken during the qualification strengthened her understanding of palliative care, professional practice and the reasoning behind everyday decisions. It also gave her the confidence and knowledge to approach other professionals, explain her proposals and gain support.

Daniell particularly valued the guidance of her Itec assessor, Natalie, who helped her develop ideas, explore relevant resources and structure her thinking. The experience has increased Daniell’s self-awareness and helped her recognise her own leadership capabilities. She explained that the qualification gave her the focus to turn something she had previously discussed into a real achievement.

Daniell said, “Natalie’s been amazing. She was pointing me to research some of the regulations and things. She really guided me with it and gave me the resources to go away and have a look at. She asked me questions that would structure my thinking into being able to turn it into something I could work on as well. She was really helpful.”

Daniell’s Itec assessor Natalie said, “When she started the project, you could see in her eyes the excitement that she felt for what she had chosen to do. Her overall commitment has always been about the dignity, the comfort, the high quality of care to provide for the individuals and the families because of her personal experience. Daniell is really much more confident. When I first did the first observation, you could see a little bit of nervousness, as I’ve worked with her and gone through the other observations, that nervousness is just gone. she’s much more confident.”

Two gold awards for outstanding achievement

Daniell’s work received significant recognition when she won gold in two categories: Excellence in Palliative and End of Life Care Award as nominated by her colleagues at Silvercrest, the other; Dignity in Care Award, a judges choice recognition which came as a complete surprise.

Initially, Daniell did not believe she had been nominated. When she realised the recognition was genuine, she found the experience emotional but reassuring. Winning both awards was overwhelming, particularly as she had not expected to achieve such success.

Daniell said, “I’m the person that usually helps with the nominations doing the write-ups. I thought it was a joke, but when I realised then, it was me, wow, you can’t describe it. You feel reassured that what you’ve done is a good thing, and that people are behind you and think about it. You know, it was really quite emotional to be honest. It was just really surreal. It’s like the Oscar of care awards. I haven’t processed it.”

For Daniell, the awards recognised not only her efforts but the importance of providing dignified, compassionate care and the support of everyone involved in bringing the project to life. The Itec team behind Daniell is thrilled with her accomplishments and the difference she is making in health and social care in Wales.

Looking to the future

As she approaches completion of her Level 5 qualification, Daniell with the support of the Itec Apprenticeship team plans to continue developing the room into a more comprehensive package of support and strengthen community involvement.

Her experience has shown her the value of taking responsibility for her own learning and exploring the theory behind professional practice. Her advice to others considering a higher-level qualification is simple: “If they don’t do it, they’ll never know.”

Daniell believes that further learning can prevent people from becoming stagnant in their roles, develop their confidence and open doors to new opportunities.

A lasting impact

Daniell’s journey demonstrates how professional development, compassionate leadership and personal experience can combine to create meaningful change. The Itec team support during her Level 5 apprenticeship helped transform an idea into a practical initiative that supports residents and families during one of life’s most difficult experiences.

With two gold awards recognising her achievements and the potential for the project to be shared across Silvercrest, Daniell’s story highlights how investing in learning can lead to lasting improvements in care.

Her achievement shows that when knowledge, compassion and leadership come together, a simple idea can make a profound difference.