HSBC UK has won a National Dementia Friendly Award in the category ‘Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large Category’.
The Birmingham-based winners were announced at the prestigious awards ceremony that took place in London, where Sun journalist and Loose Women panellist, Jane Moore, hosted the ceremony.
HSBC was one of three finalists in the category ‘Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large’. This award, open to all businesses and organisations including leisure, tourism, the arts, emergency services, finance, health and social care, recognises an organisation that has implemented a dementia friendly initiative.
HSBC – one of the world’s largest banks serving 14.5 million customers in the UK – partnered with Alzheimer’s Society for three years between 2016 and 2019. HSBC engaged teams from across the bank to implement dementia friendly initiatives including the Customer Support team and Customer Care Needs team to support customers with dementia.
Anna Inman, Customer Experience Manager at HSBC UK in Birmingham, collected the award. Anna said: “It feels incredible to have won the Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large Category Award. We are so delighted to have won the award. Anyone thinking of nominating a person or a group or an organisation for a Dementia Friendly Award I’d say just go for it.”
HSBC wanted to become a Dementia Friendly business so through focus groups with people living with dementia and awareness sessions such as Dementia Friends training, HSBC formed a greater understanding of how they could improve their services and the way they communicate with customers living with dementia, with key feedback including, ‘I don’t want to have to keep repeating my needs’, ‘Give me more time’ and ‘Get to know me as an individual’.
Dementia is the 21st century’s biggest killer. Someone develops the condition every three minutes – but too many face it alone. Alzheimer’s Society’s 2019 Dementia Friendly Awards recognise, celebrate and promote the inspirational achievements of those uniting to making a real difference to people living with dementia.
Awards host, TV presenter and journalist, Jane Moore, said: “I’m delighted to have hosted this year’s Dementia Friendly Awards 2019 in London. This year’s awards celebrated individuals, organisations and communities leading and inspiring a change that will transform the lives of people living with dementia across the country forever, challenging misunderstandings, changing attitudes and taking action. My own mother-in-law had dementia so I understand what a heart-breaking condition it can be, stripping people of their memories. All of the winners and nominees have done incredible and inspiring work to help people living with dementia and they should all be incredibly proud.”
Jeremy Hughes, Alzheimer’s Society CEO, said: “It is amazing that HSBC UK has won the Dementia Friendly Organisation of the Year – Large Category Award and it is a testament to their tremendous dementia-friendly work.
“The level of nominations received this year was truly phenomenal and there were some exceptional stories heard at the awards ceremony. There are over 441 Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly Communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland ensuring people with dementia are empowered to live a life they. All the finalists and winners at the Dementia Friendly Awards have demonstrated how we can unite against dementia and support those affected by the condition.”
This year there were ten awards in categories for Trailblazer of the Year, Dementia Friendly Community, Dementia Friends Champion, Dementia Friendly Organisation (Small/Medium), Dementia Friendly Organisation (Large), Inspiring Young Person, Youth Organisation, Championing Diversity and 40th Anniversary - Lifetime Achievement.
