Coronavirus latest
The current coronavirus outbreak continues to make the news headlines, but health and social care staff are being urged to retain a sense of proportion.
Eight cases have now been confirmed in the UK and the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk level to the public from low to moderate. However, the risk to individuals remains low.
The guidance for care workers remains the same as laid out in the guidance we provided last week and which we have attached again. There is no need for any additional precautions at present – we will update our guidance as and when official advice changes.
Anyone who has travelled to the UK from China, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the past two weeks and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath should stay indoors and dial NHS 111.

Nottingham team on the move
The Finance and Shared Service Centre team in Nottingham are on the move from their site at Phoenix Park to a new home at Cardinal House, also in Nottingham.
In recent months these teams have started to outgrow their current office space and as City and County continues to grow, these teams will expand to ensure they can provide effective support to the branch network.
The move to the new office provides more room for the Shared Service teams (which include Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Payroll and Purchasing) and the Finance management teams (Management Accounts and Treasury) to grow as required to provide an excellent level of service to the business.
As well as providing a spacious environment in which to work, the new office features City and County branding and has three meeting rooms (which can be booked using the Nottingham locations in Outlook when booking a meeting).
The office move is happening in two parts with half of the teams moving over the weekend of 8th-9th February and the second group leaving Phoenix Park on Friday 14th February. However, if you need to contact anyone in the Finance team before, during or after the move, that should still be straightforward, as all their telephone numbers are remaining the same.
And if you, a client or a commissioning organisation need to post anything to the Shared Service Centre the new address is:
Cardinal House
Abbeyfield Court
Abbeyfield Road
Nottingham
NG7 2SZ

Inspection news
More great news on the regulatory front this week with a clutch of great inspection results.
Constance Care’s branch in Glenrothes underwent its first every inspection by the Care Inspectorate (the care regulator in Scotland) and received a full house of ‘4’ ratings, which means they achieve an overall rating of ‘good’.
This is a great achievement by the team, shown here beaming with pride and treating themselves to a wee celebration!
South of the border, Human Support Group’s services at the St Andrew’s House Extra Care scheme in Nottingham (left), Comfort Call’s Westmoreland House Extra Care in Doncaster and Guardian Homecare’s branch in Morecambe all landed ‘good’ ratings in their draft CQC reports.
Well done to the managers and teams at all these locations for a great set of fantastic outcomes!

Terezie’s raising money for the planet
Westbourne Park Dementia Adviser and passionate environmental campaigner Terezie Wickenden is raising money for a conservation charity.
The World Land Trust buys land in the most biologically important rain-forests around the world and protects it from deforestation, tackling both climate change and biodiversity.
And the Trust has no shortage of influential supporters. Revered naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough said that “the money given to the World Land Trust, in my estimation, has more effect on the wild world than almost anything else I can think of.
As Terezie told us, “climate change and biodiversity loss threaten the future of all of us” and she has been performing a series of fundraising piano concerts where she also talks on climate change and the importance of this vital cause. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so here.
And do remember that we are still looking for volunteers to join our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) working group to think about how to develop our CSR for better communities and a better world.
If you think you have something to contribute and would like to get involved, whether it’s a passion for fighting climate change or a particular charitable or community interest, drop an email to Max Wurr.

Feeling ‘good’ across England
It’s been a bumper week for great CQC inspection results at opposite ends of England, with three new reports published.
Leading the way was Pennyman House Extra Care, operated by Human Support Group in Middlesbrough, which achieved ‘good’ ratings across all domains in its very first inspection, an impressive achievement.
Also in Middlebsrough, the established branch of Comfort Call wasn’t to be outdone by its neighbour, retaining its existing ‘good’ ratings across all domains.
And at the opposite end of England, Surrey SCP also managed to retain its ‘good’ rating.
The consistent, high quality work done by the teams at all three locations deserves recognition. Inspections are nerve-wracking experiences for managers and staff alike, but the local teams have all done us proud – we salute you!

Help at Home take inspiration award
The efforts of the team at Help at Home in Leicester to recruit young adults into the care sector have earned them a prize at a recent awards ceremony in the city.
The LeicestershireLive Carer of the Year Awards aim to reward, recognise and celebrate unsung private and professional carers who help better the lives of others.
At the awards on 30th January, the Help at Home team were delighted to win the prize in the Inspired to Care category for their efforts in attracting younger applicants into this most rewarding of careers.
Recruitment Officer Amanda Frankton is pictured here holding the award certificate, along with Branch Manager Lee Asbury. If their smiles are anything to go by, they were very pleased to receive this recognition! Our congratulations go them and their colleagues for making such an important local impact.

City & County’s #Run5kmForNHS
Over the last 10 days, City & County team members across the UK have been donning their finest lycra, breaking out the sweat bands, dusting off their running shoes and stretching, perspiring, panting, heaving and pounding the pavements, all in a bid to raise funds in support of NHS workers.
The goal? To run 5km, donate £5 and then nominate 5 other team members to do the same. And, of course, reap any bragging rights if achieved in record time.
So far, the team have cracked £1000 in donations and are a little bit fitter for it. Good deeds deserve good rewards!
Our latest finishers are Neil Griffiths, Hayfa Saad, Zoe Hughes, Richard Hobson, Lindsay Smith, Caroline Barrow, Lisa Brown, Emma Sword, Carol Brown, Cath Stobbs, Michelle Lloyd and Antony Goulding
The fastest run has been from Richard Hobson at 21:49. Show off.
City & County CEO, James Thornburn, has also pledged to match funds raised up to £2,500 giving City & County a total target of £5K to aim for.
Well done to all and keep those kilometres ticking over. It’s for an extremely good cause.
If you would like to contribute to the NHS fund, please donate here.
#run5KforNHS&SocialCare
Stories From The Frontline #3
Each week, we receive dozens of stories from care workers and managers across the country as they battle to provide the best care and support possible amid this crisis. These stories are remarkable – like the people behind them. Many of them are uplifting. Here are just a few of our colleagues’ heroic, kind and increasingly widely-appreciated efforts.
Caring for the care workers
Front-line care workers continue to deliver the best service possible in extremely challenging circumstances. For some, that means potential exposure to the virus. One care worker in Cannock sat outside a sick patient’s window, talking to him, for four hours while he waited for paramedics, reports regional manager Scott Higgins-Wright. Regional manager Tracy Asbery also sat with frightened patients as they prepared to be taken to hospital, reports Sarah Thomas, regional director, South.
As care workers deal with both their own, and others’ fear, those care workers need looking after, too. A handful, including Tracy, have become sick themselves and are self-isolating. Many of those still on duty are extending their work-days (and nights), foregoing rest, continuing their rounds through eerily empty towns, villages and communities. They rarely see colleagues or family. “It feels like the calm before the storm,” says Samantha Bond, regional manager, Northern Ireland and Blackpool. “It’s weird, because we’re driving around, doing the fire-fighting, and there’s no-one else on the road.”
Managers like Samantha are doing their utmost to keep their care workers safe, to stay in touch and to boost morale. “I send messages to them every day to say how proud I am,” says Hannah Ford, extra-care branch manager in Salford. “That keeps them going.” Lynne Hewitt, regional manager Scotland, has split her branch teams in two, ensuring that if one group does go off sick, the branch office can remain open. “It’s so I can assure the care workers that they won’t be on their own,” she explains. “There will always be someone there.”
Samantha Price, branch manager at Ebbw Vale, runs daily team calls on Zoom to keep spirits up. The team updates Facebook pages with nuggets of useful information for each other and for other care workers, such as lists of garages offering free MOTs. “On a Friday, we take print-screens of the Zoom call, with our thumbs up, and post it on the care workers’ page to say ‘thank you for this week’. It’s so important to stay in touch as care workers go about their work, Samantha insists; especially now as “we don’t see them as much.”
Mel Flanagan, branch manager in York, has packaged up carbolic soap and hand-towels in air-tight bags for each of her care workers to carry on their rounds with them, in case there are no clean washing facilities at clients’ houses. “It is for the care workers’ use only, and means they don’t have to rely on those providing it, especially when in lock-down.”
A lot more needs to be done. “Everyone is scared; everyone wants a face-mask. There is anger,” says regional director Sarah Thomas. There is also more work than usual to assuage concerned family-members, alongside the clients themselves. “We’re having to deal with partners…putting in extra visits because of how they are feeling,” adds Sarah.
Some of Samantha Price’s care workers are FaceTime-ing family members, during their care visit, to reassure them that their loved-one is okay. “We don’t normally do that,” says Samantha, but the practice evolved naturally, from care workers’ “exceptional” instincts, she reports. (The same selfless instincts led care workers Della and Teresa, after their double-handed run, to queue up for two hours to collect a customer’s medicines, allowing the family to take a step back.)
City and County Group staff throughout the country are going the extra mile, drawing on their instincts, expertise, networks and relationships to keep things going, often against the odds.
The public is trying to help, too. Many have sent in stories of spontaneous applause, letters from school-children, donated goods, hand-embroidered face-masks, and much more.
Care workers in Alison Phillip’s team in Redhill, Surrey, regularly make up little bags of soap, flannels and shampoo to take to clients – even during normal times. When Alison realised that clients were going to struggle for daily shopping and essentials, she appealed to her community through Facebook and has since been inundated with products, including toiletries, food-stuffs and more, reports Sarah Thomas. Feltham shops and garages are offering to deliver, for free, whatever care workers and clients need to keep going. With similar generosity from local schools, who delivered leftover food when they shut down, toiletries from local cosmetics firms, and even toilet-paper from neighbours, “the training room is now like a little shop, with items that can easily be distributed when needed,” Sarah says. “We no longer have to worry about the shopping calls we do, since, if needed, we, can make up a large bag from what we have.”
An Asda worker in Monk Cross lifted Mel out of her gloom. “I honestly felt lost, as we are all facing an unknown quantity, and ultimately putting ourselves in the line of fire,” she recalls. But then one day, as she perused the empty shelves in Asda, a store worker stopped her. After establishing that she worked alongside the NHS, he shook her hand “with such intensity, looked me straight in the eyes and said how proud he was of all of us for the work we were doing,” says Mel. For her, “the humanity of this one man erased those fears and made me realise that actually, people to care. People do appreciate us. People do acknowledge our skills and determination.”
If you have a story please let us know: Covid19response@candchealthcare.co.uk
Stories from the front line #2
Each week, we receive dozens of stories from care workers and managers across the country as they battle to provide the best care and support possible amid this crisis. These stories are remarkable – like the people behind them. Many of them are uplifting. Here are just a few of our colleagues’ heroic, kind and increasingly widely-appreciated efforts.
Front line workers take the initiative …
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary behaviours. And we’re seeing that, up and down the UK, in the generosity, sacrifices and resourcefulness of our care workers, managers and of the wider community. Care workers are risking their health and giving up family unity and holiday time in order to carry on looking after clients. They are, without fail, “putting the service users first,” says Hannah Marsh, regional manager, Midlands. Their mindset is that “if we get it, we’re young and fit enough to fight it off,” says Hannah. Her message echoes similar stories of bravery from across the country.
Hannah Ford, extra care manager in the Salford area, manages 350 clients across six care schemes – including 25 people with high needs. Without fail, “staff are going above and beyond,” she says, coming in early, staying late, doing additional calls and extra shopping trips out of hours. At Bourke Gardens, in Manchester, two clients with confirmed COVID-19 are in hospital, six are in isolation, and four staff are off. The rest are stepping up, including by helping deliver dozens of meals to Bourke Gardens customers in their rooms, as the restaurant has shut down.
The nationwide shortage of masks and protective equipment is placing additional stress on care workers and managers at precisely the time they are needed the most. “One of our clients had symptoms, but we couldn’t go in, it was awful,” recalls Hannah Ford. The urgent need drove her to join a local managers’ network in Salford to appeal for help. It worked: a local care home offered 100 masks, which Hannah collected and distributed to help make up the shortfall.
In Leith, Scotland regional manager Lynne Hewitt ordered 30 face masks from enterprising local citizen Conal Kelly, who had begun making them from home. “He was giving them away to help local health and social care groups,” she reports. Lynne’s team – like all the others across the nation – need more face masks. But for now, “it’s enough to keep those care workers who are at-risk out there,” she says. Not a single care worker on Lynne’s team has refused to make a visit because of fear of contagion. “They have a bond” with those they are taking care of, Lynne reports.
There was further fierce community spirit from the Leith gin distillery, which has re-purposed its operations to produce hand-sanitizer. “They are giving the hand-sanitizer out in lovely glass gin bottles, because that is all they have got,” says Lynne. Lynne procured five-for-a-pound small plastic bottles at Pound Land which she fills up for her care workers, telling them to return when they need re-filling.
These enterprising, community-driven production lines are already vital in supporting the most vulnerable, and will continue to be. So will all the extraordinary extra miles that care workers and managers are putting in. “I’m working seven days a week from 6am, and still getting calls at midnight,” says Hannah Ford. She is not alone.
If you have a story please let us know: Covid19response@candchealthcare.co.uk
Thank You, Carers by Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson, 92, is a customer of City & County and an avid poet. In saying thank you for the care he’s received, Frank sent us the following; a wonderful tribute to his carers. Thank you, Frank, for your beautiful words.
Thank you, carers
It is time that I say thank you
for what you’ve done for me.
A thousand days of caring;
ten hundred cups of tea.
And with the tea came kindness:
the call when you arrive.
That makes me glad to be here;
and pleased to be alive.
You listen to my stories
the people that I’ve known.
And now you see the ending
– for I am on my own.
And this is not a rare world.
It’s not a ‘dream come true’.
It just needs loving kindness
and that will come from you.
You tend my cuts and bruises
and try to keep me clean.
You bully me with kindness
for that’s what caring means.
You bring back life within me
give purpose to my years.
You help in my endurance,
and will not stand for tears.
You all have understanding
of what life needs to be.
You see it in each person
I know you do with me.
They were hard years that we’ve shared
with joy and misery.
And through it, you’ve all worked
to give life back to me.
Taking More Care
Remember us, your carers
you know we’re always here.
With love and understanding
and always without fear.
The world that we were used to
has vanished without trace.
And omitomi virus
now scares the human race.
We know that you are worried
and you know that we care.
And if you’re really fearful
just call and we’ll be there.
Your shopping is a doddle
we’ll get the things you need.
And you’ll need medication
and newsy stuff to read.
Remember that we care
and we are always here.
We will honour you with love
to take away that fear.
Stories From The Front Line…
Each week, we receive dozens of stories from care workers and managers across the country as they battle to provide the best care and support possible amid this crisis. These stories are remarkable – like the people behind them. Many of them are uplifting. Here are just a few of our colleagues’ heroic, kind and increasingly widely-appreciated efforts.
“You need to stop clapping, because we’re clapping for you.” Those were the kind words spoken to care worker Jay as she joined the queue at Waitrose in St. Neots on Friday morning after her shift. Jay had initially joined in the applause, as she waited to pick up supplies for one of her elderly customers. Then she saw people nodding at her blue uniform and badge. It was she, the star. She and the 13,000 other City & County care workers across the country, going well beyond the call of duty to look after, comfort and support many of the most vulnerable people in our society.
A security guard ushered Jay to the front of the line, to ensure she got what she needed. “I felt like royalty,” said Jay. “It was heart-warming.”
This is just one example of the dozens of stories of kindness, compassion and love that have been pouring in since the coronavirus outbreak began. Care workers and managers up and down the country, who already do so much, are pulling out the stops under very difficult conditions to ensure their service-users’ safety and happiness. And the public is behind them. Care worker Dawn in Bridlington got her own round of applause outside Morrisons – despite her protestations that she was only picking up some bits for herself, reports branch manager Kate Hamilton. Restaurant chains, local pubs and schools across the regions have donated food and supplies to care workers and branches; children in Ayr, Scotland, are writing letters to cheer up those living alone.
In normal times, 93-year old Marjorie celebrates her birthday with family, cake and singing. This year, the care workers, chef and managers at Oak Court sang for her from the garden, below her balcony, on behalf of the care worker community and of Marjorie’s family.
Kim Nicholson looks after six independent living schemes in the Leicester area – including Oak Court. She is also Jay’s manager. “I’ve been in this industry for 33 years, and to now be getting recognition for what we do…it’s overwhelming,” she says.
It is also long overdue, and extraordinarily well-deserved. Staff have cancelled annual leave in order to care; some have even sent their children away in order to continue to work.
“We are already so proud of our City & County care workers,” says Group CEO James Thorburn. “Today, in these far from normal times, we are prouder still. The world out there is hugely grateful for what our care workers are doing. I am convinced that gratitude will endure after the fear and panic subsides.”
The names and personal information of those we care for have been altered to protect privacy
If you have a story please let us know: Covid19response@candchealthcare.co.uk
COVID-19 coronavirus and our care services
Updated: 29 September 2021
People that use our services and members of their families are naturally very concerned about the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The following information is intended to offer you and your loved ones reassurance about the things we are doing to keep our vulnerable service users safe.
Firstly, we wanted to tell you that we are monitoring the situation on a daily basis and that we are working with official agencies to both inform and act on the latest scientific and clinical advice.
As an experienced home care provider, we are well versed in putting in place contingency arrangements. We have to do so most years to combat unseasonable weather, transport difficulties etc. and the disruptions this can cause in our staffing levels and inaccessibility to areas badly affected as well as dealing with winter pressures on hospital beds and other care services.
Our main arrangements for preventing transmission of the virus are as follows:
The most important way you can help is by ensuring that the staff who come to visit you have ready access to wash their hands in your home with soap and warm water and clean towels to dry their hands.
How might your care be affected?
If we have not done so already, we may need to enact our normal contingency arrangements for care delivery and this means that we may be required to reorganise our available staff from their normal routines to redirect care on a priority needs basis. This means that we may have to;
We are continuing to monitor the situation daily and in any event we will remain in contact with you to keep you informed of any actions that we may need to take. Our primary concern is making sure that your care is delivered safely. We hope that you will understand that where changes are required to maintain safety we will make these decisions with you in mind and in line with the very best advice.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do ring the local office and ask to speak to the manager.
February 2020 Newsletter
Coronavirus latest
The current coronavirus outbreak continues to make the news headlines, but health and social care staff are being urged to retain a sense of proportion.
Eight cases have now been confirmed in the UK and the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk level to the public from low to moderate. However, the risk to individuals remains low.
The guidance for care workers remains the same as laid out in the guidance we provided last week and which we have attached again. There is no need for any additional precautions at present – we will update our guidance as and when official advice changes.
Anyone who has travelled to the UK from China, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the past two weeks and is experiencing cough or fever or shortness of breath should stay indoors and dial NHS 111.
Nottingham team on the move
The Finance and Shared Service Centre team in Nottingham are on the move from their site at Phoenix Park to a new home at Cardinal House, also in Nottingham.
In recent months these teams have started to outgrow their current office space and as City and County continues to grow, these teams will expand to ensure they can provide effective support to the branch network.
The move to the new office provides more room for the Shared Service teams (which include Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Payroll and Purchasing) and the Finance management teams (Management Accounts and Treasury) to grow as required to provide an excellent level of service to the business.
As well as providing a spacious environment in which to work, the new office features City and County branding and has three meeting rooms (which can be booked using the Nottingham locations in Outlook when booking a meeting).
The office move is happening in two parts with half of the teams moving over the weekend of 8th-9th February and the second group leaving Phoenix Park on Friday 14th February. However, if you need to contact anyone in the Finance team before, during or after the move, that should still be straightforward, as all their telephone numbers are remaining the same.
And if you, a client or a commissioning organisation need to post anything to the Shared Service Centre the new address is:
Cardinal House
Abbeyfield Court
Abbeyfield Road
Nottingham
NG7 2SZ
Inspection news
More great news on the regulatory front this week with a clutch of great inspection results.
Constance Care’s branch in Glenrothes underwent its first every inspection by the Care Inspectorate (the care regulator in Scotland) and received a full house of ‘4’ ratings, which means they achieve an overall rating of ‘good’.
This is a great achievement by the team, shown here beaming with pride and treating themselves to a wee celebration!
South of the border, Human Support Group’s services at the St Andrew’s House Extra Care scheme in Nottingham (left), Comfort Call’s Westmoreland House Extra Care in Doncaster and Guardian Homecare’s branch in Morecambe all landed ‘good’ ratings in their draft CQC reports.
Well done to the managers and teams at all these locations for a great set of fantastic outcomes!
Terezie’s raising money for the planet
Westbourne Park Dementia Adviser and passionate environmental campaigner Terezie Wickenden is raising money for a conservation charity.
The World Land Trust buys land in the most biologically important rain-forests around the world and protects it from deforestation, tackling both climate change and biodiversity.
And the Trust has no shortage of influential supporters. Revered naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough said that “the money given to the World Land Trust, in my estimation, has more effect on the wild world than almost anything else I can think of.
As Terezie told us, “climate change and biodiversity loss threaten the future of all of us” and she has been performing a series of fundraising piano concerts where she also talks on climate change and the importance of this vital cause. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so here.
And do remember that we are still looking for volunteers to join our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) working group to think about how to develop our CSR for better communities and a better world.
If you think you have something to contribute and would like to get involved, whether it’s a passion for fighting climate change or a particular charitable or community interest, drop an email to Max Wurr.
Feeling ‘good’ across England
It’s been a bumper week for great CQC inspection results at opposite ends of England, with three new reports published.
Leading the way was Pennyman House Extra Care, operated by Human Support Group in Middlesbrough, which achieved ‘good’ ratings across all domains in its very first inspection, an impressive achievement.
Also in Middlebsrough, the established branch of Comfort Call wasn’t to be outdone by its neighbour, retaining its existing ‘good’ ratings across all domains.
And at the opposite end of England, Surrey SCP also managed to retain its ‘good’ rating.
The consistent, high quality work done by the teams at all three locations deserves recognition. Inspections are nerve-wracking experiences for managers and staff alike, but the local teams have all done us proud – we salute you!
Help at Home take inspiration award
The efforts of the team at Help at Home in Leicester to recruit young adults into the care sector have earned them a prize at a recent awards ceremony in the city.
The LeicestershireLive Carer of the Year Awards aim to reward, recognise and celebrate unsung private and professional carers who help better the lives of others.
At the awards on 30th January, the Help at Home team were delighted to win the prize in the Inspired to Care category for their efforts in attracting younger applicants into this most rewarding of careers.
Recruitment Officer Amanda Frankton is pictured here holding the award certificate, along with Branch Manager Lee Asbury. If their smiles are anything to go by, they were very pleased to receive this recognition! Our congratulations go them and their colleagues for making such an important local impact.
January 2020 Newsletter
Inspection news
As we settle into the new year, we have a clutch of great inspection reports from across the group.
Congratulations go to Comfort Call Bowmont House, HSG Anderton Place and Help at Home Oak Court, all of which received ‘good’ ratings across all domains (and overall).
Guardian Homecare in Ormskirk also secured a ‘good’ overall rating, with ‘good’ in all but one domain.
But this week’s special mention must go to Careline Homecare in Newcastle, which, along with its overall ‘good’ rating, struck gold with an ‘outstanding’ rating in the ‘well-led’ domain, a truly impressive achievement.
Unusual guests visit Westbourne Park
Service users at Westbourne Park Dementia Centre get to take part in some pretty cool activities, but the visitors last month were unusual even by their standards!
Safari Pete is a wildlife adventurer and conservationist who travels around the world and regularly visits local school to raise awareness about nature and the environment and as you can see, he also got a great reception at Westbourne Park!
Day Care Coordinator Joanna Budhu told us that “the service users engaged with all of the animals and no one was frightened” during what she describes as “a new experience with such a positive outcome”.
Westbourne Park continues to inspire locations across the group with the terrific range of activities on offer for people with dementia, keeping their minds active and mitigating the effects of social isolation. Thanks to Joanna and her team for sharing with us again a great story about a top class service.
Who’s DAT?
We have pleasure in introducing you to the new Delivery Assurance Team (DAT), led by Donna Terry and also including Sarah Ellis and Jan Allardice
The team’s aim is to work closely with the Regional Managers and their operational teams to embed the new Model Branch processes and systems. Their purpose is to support Regional Managers to use the systems to their full advantage, giving them the tools to coach their teams through change and to develop new innovative ways of working.
Donna tells us, “we are here to listen to feedback, reach out to understand operational challenges experienced, and continuously improve how we use Model Branch in order for us to provide a sustainable and high quality care service.”
The DAT would love to hear from you directly – send your feedback or suggestions to modelbranch@candchealthcare.co.uk.
A new year, a new you!
The New Year offers as good a time as any to consider a new role, new challenges and new faces. Perhaps, all within an entirely new sector! For the gregarious and sociable who’ve a want to care and help people in need, too, becoming a care worker offers up that very chance.
That’s where you, as someone considering care work, may be able to step in and offer support to people at their most vulnerable and in need of it.
So, what does care work entail?
For the most part, care work involves dealing with a broad range of people, aiding and assisting those who may be elderly, disabled or, perhaps, a bit younger. People of all ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and circumstances will require care at some point in their lives, and part of what makes the job great are the wonderful characters you’ll come across.
Care work involves a good measure of responsibility and diligence. From help around the house, like cooking light meals and cleaning, to assistance with personal care like bathing, dressing and going to the toilet, care work is varied and sometimes challenging. It requires patience and resolve but it’s ultimately rewarding in the positive impact on people in need. If you’re looking for a change in career that achieves just that, and you’re not afraid of some hard work, this might just be your calling.
What will you need as a care assistant?
As a care assistant, you’ll need a number of key skills, some of which will be gained on the job through day-to-day experience, while other skills you’ll have already. These include being a strong communicator as well as good at listening with the issues you may face and deal with. You’ll need to be practical and hands-on while not being faint at heart. You will deal with bodily fluids, nudity and mess. Sometimes clients may be even be unwilling participants in their own care so you’ll also need to be able to keep your cool and handle stressful situations in a calm and collected manner. From time to time, they will come up while you’re on the job.
But it’s not all worrisome. Carers often find they make real friends of the people they’re looking after, finding it that much more satisfying.
What type of care assistant roles are there?
As a care assistant, you will be uniquely placed to improve a person’s life and there are various types of care that City & County delivers across its companies. That may be live-in care where you’re residing on a client’s property, or domiciliary care where you’re making visits to a client’s home, sometimes multiple times a day. If you’re trained for it, a company like ICCM provides Complex Care services, tending to clients with more complicated health concerns.
Each client will have a bespoke care plan, which you, as a care assistant, will help compile, manage and deliver.
You’ve made your decision to switch to care…where to next?
Well, now you can take a look at our jobs board to see which roles we have in your desired location. Training is included for those who are new to the sector whilst our care assistant enjoy plenty of support at a branch level.
Good luck and Happy New Year!
Welcoming the Human Support Group
Early November saw the purchase of the Human Support Group (HSG), which becomes the latest addition to the City and County family.
HSG is based in the Northwest of England, running thirty-five branches and Extra Care facilities and delivering complex care and reablement contracts alongside general home care.
HSG is an established and respected provider with a successful and experienced management team that shares our commitment to great quality care. We’re sure you’ll all join us in welcoming HSG on board!