A Gwynedd man who trains new recruits joining the care industry has been honoured with an award.

Training Manager Osian Roberts won a bronze prize at this year’s Wales Care Awards, held at Holland House Hotel, Cardiff.

Bosses at Meddyg Care, which has care homes in Porthmadog and Cricieth, put Osian forward for an award in the Commitment to Training and Workforce Development category.

Meddyg Care directors Kevin Edwards and Nicola Rutherford said Osian had “completely revamped” the company’s training programme, boosted staff retention and the standard of care delivered, and even encouraging new staff to learn some Welsh.

Formerly a carer, team leader and member of the company's quality assurance team, Osian, who is based in Meddyg Care’s head office in Porthmadog, said it is vital care companies' training and induction programmes are of an excellent standard.

New recruits have a two-week induction with him before going to a care home, learning manual handling and advanced dementia care, making a cup of tea and more.

Osian said: “It is so important our residents, our service users, have highly trained carers looking after them.

“But it is also important for the carers, because their work will be so much easier if they have been trained properly by people who are actually able to give real life experience and real life skills.

“It is about giving people the skills and confidence to make those important connections with our residents.

“That impacts positively on the care staff because if they’re not going into a shift stressed and unable to support people, then they are going to be in a better position to connect with people.”

Osian said staff were well supported by their bosses.

He said: “Staffing levels are good at Meddyg Care, and that comes from the resources we are given, so that impacts on our good staff retention.

“People are given proper training, there’s social events they can go to, as a company we are interested in our team, and there is always career progression.”

Osian said his passion for care first emerged after witnessing his late grandmother’s struggles with Alzheimer's.

“Eventually she didn’t know who I was, and I was left wondering what the point was in going to see her.

“Many years after that I got a job in a care home.

“I just took to it, I loved it.”

Meddyg Care Director Kevin Edwards said: “Osian has completely revamped the training and induction programmes, with benefits being felt across the care group as well as with service users.

“Osian sets the foundation for the Meddyg Care way, ensuring consistency and high-quality tailored care.

“His training records are immaculate, and staff retention is very strong, with people understanding their roles and not feeling uneasy or unsure about their responsibilities.

“They enjoy coming to work, feel comfortable, and confident, and it’s down to the training they receive from Osian.

“Osian is a driven Welsh speaker and extremely passionate about preserving the language and culture.

“He is always aiming to support people to learn Welsh and converse with service users in Welsh if they prefer.”