Sandown Park

Please detail any relevant education/training

NVQ II & III

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2010

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes

Kitchen Assistant

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

A love of food and an understanding of residents palettes.  To be aware of different cultures and of medical conditions

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

I love the satisfaction that residents enjoy my food

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

The diversity of residents coming in to the care home

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Always have a 5* kitchen service

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Love of food

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

I like trying out new recipes, baking cakes

What do you enjoy/are you looking forward to the most about working at this care home?

I like the team approach, ‘one big happy family’

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Registered home manager

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Good organisational skills, methodical, assertive, approachable and a good sense of humour

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Chatting to the residents and also to staff and relatives

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Recruitment has been difficult

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

My home was a finalist in the National Dementia Care Awards 2017. I achieved two outstanding ratings in 2014 for care and well lead.

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Being able to communicate effectively, to have a ‘can do’ approach

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

I like shopping, eating out and travelling

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

I enjoy developing the service for staff/residents to have a positive outcome in their home/work life. This is where I live

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Registered nurse, Deputy Manager

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Good organisational skills, approachable and a good sense of humour

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Every day going to the floors chatting to staff, service users and family

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

We achieved 2 outstanding ratings for care and well led in 2014.

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Daily reporting, effective communication with staff

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

Cooking

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

I enjoy working hard in my care home with my manager, staff and service users to maintain the high standards

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Homes?

I have a good working relationship with my manager

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Visual merchandiser manager for M & S. Self-employed to do many craft sessions in care homes

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

It is important to have patience, understanding, kindness, flexibility and creativity

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Having fun with the residents, making them smile or laugh

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Having the confidence in myself to change from retail to health care

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Being nominated with my manager for the Dementia Care Awards 2017 for our environment and sensory garden

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Someone that can be comfortable at laughing at themselves, smile throughout and learn lessons

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

I love gardening, shopping and going to the cinema

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

I am very passionate about my role and enjoy coming up with fresh ideas for activities with the residents. Also, the staff are a pleasure to work with. It’s a happy place to be

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Homes?

The home looked a nice, friendly place to work and the manager was very likeable at the interview

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Worked for a construction company as a customer care co-ordinator

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Friendly, willing to help everyone. Being caring and patient

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

I enjoy it all

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Moving back to England after living in Spain for 16 years and starting my career again

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Working with so many friendly people

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Friendly, caring, willing to help

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

Meeting up with friends, knitting, walking, visiting friends all over the country

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

All the friendly people and having chats with relatives that come in to visit their family

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Homes?

Like working for the existing home manager

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Main receptionist for large IT company for 14 years

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Warm, approachable, kind, flexible, creative, polite and understanding other people’s needs

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Passing out the daily newspapers with a smile and warmth of saying ‘good morning’ to everyone

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

This position in all my working life

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Understanding

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

Flower arranging, travelling and walking

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

Continuing to work here

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

I have always worked in maintenance

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

To ensure health and safety of the establishment. Be methodical and aware

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

I enjoy a good functional care home

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

To be efficient, proactive and have good observational skills

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

Football

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

We are a close community, like a big family