Managing Director of Swindon’s First City Nursing made MBE

The managing director of Swindon’s First City Nursing and Care has been made MBE for services to domiciliary care during covid-19.

Stephen Trowbridge's award is among the Queen's New Year Honours list.

Mr Trowbridge was nominated for work throughout the year to protect his customers, staff and partners in the care sector, together with the wider community, from the impact of covid-19.  

His achievements include ensuring that Swindon has been among the few local authorities where there has been no waiting list for packages of home care for patients waiting to leave hospital, leading his team to go the extra mile in terms of time and commitment, and effective communication and partnership working.

He has been at the forefront of understanding the complexities of changing guidance, information and translation into practice, which has been of benefit to staff, partners and commissioners.

Stephen has made a long lasting impact to the wider care sector, both through his role of Chair of the BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Care Skills Partnership and by working with other national partnership chairs to ensure a U-turn on the continuation of the Workforce Development Fund, which provides funding for continued professional development in the industry. 

He said: “I couldn’t believe and really it still hasn’t sunk in yet.  But really this should be an honour for all of my team, who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic and continue to do so.

“If it wasn’t for them flexing and going over and above then none of this would have happened.  I’m just a cog in a bigger machine that’s working to improve the lives of the people in our community, and really I’m probably one of the smaller cogs; it’s down to the expertise and commitment of the whole team for it working as it does.”