The Old Vicarage

Please detail any relevant education/training

NVQ 2 and 3.  Team Leading level 4. Management training and mandatory training in care

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

April 2018

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home?

To further my career and re-location to Somerset

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

Senior carer at a residential home for 11 years

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

Lead a team and to encourage colleagues to do the best they can in their role as carers

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

Working with my team and our residents, being involved on the floor and meeting residents families

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

Learning how the home runs and how they order their monthly medication

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Getting my Care Manager job at The Old Vicarage and becoming part of the team

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Good leadership and communication skills.  My manager also assists on the floor which makes for a good role model.

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

Meeting up with my family and friends.  Riding my motorbike, reading and listening to music

Being part of a great team who provide our residents with the best care on a daily basis.  The relationship that all the staff have at The Old Vicarage with residents is outstanding and lovely to see.  It does make for a unique environment to work in.

Please detail any relevant education/training

Level 2 and 3 Health and Social Care

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2006

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home?

A friend of a friend who was working at The Old Vicarage at the time.

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

Working in the community and in care homes.

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

Kindness, patience, understanding choices, dignity, respect and empathy, a good communicator, supportive and train.  A good manager that will support you.

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

Making sure that I do my very best for our residents and support their families

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

Being Care Manager and being given the chance to better myself.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

To be nominated for the National Care Awards 2018 even though I did not get through.

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Organisational skills, being able to liaise with staff members and residents alike.  To listen to staff.  Going that extra mile.

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

My children and going out for long walks with my dogs.

Seeing our residents and their families happy; having trust in knowing that you do your best.

Please detail any relevant education/training

Health and Social Care level 3. Leadership and Management level 3. Health & Safety, Infection Control, First Aid, Medication

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2018

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home

Progression in career

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

Senior carer at another home

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

Good leader, good manager, good listener, be able to motivate

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

I enjoy all my day

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

Learning how to do the medication ordering

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Progressing in my career, going forward and doing a level 4 in Health and Social Care.

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Someone who can motivate, encourage, teach. Someone who can bring out the best in a team, also thanking the staff for their hard work.

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

Reading, swimming, spending time with family.

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

I enjoy all aspects of the job and I enjoy working with the team.

Please detail any relevant education/training

School. Training at The Old Vicarage

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

1999

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home

Near home

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

Youth club worker. Pub working – cooking, hotels, waitress.

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

Knowledge of cooking. Patience, sense of humour, multi skilled

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

Watching the residents enjoy our home cooked meals and clean plates.

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

Organisation of menus and delivering a high standard of food/meals

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Kitchen manager. Going to London for the awards ceremony for Best Care Home 2017

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Good listener, valuing staff, hands on when need help, multi skilled

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

Grandchildren, holidays, decorating and DIY

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

Retiring! To remain outstanding! Enjoy talking to the residents

Please detail any relevant education/training

Diplomas level 2 and 3 in care.  Level 4 RMA

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2007

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home?

I live locally and the hours fitted with my children at the time

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

I was a dispensing assistant in a pharmacy

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

Able to multi-skill, be patient, understanding and efficient.

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

I don’t have a particular favourite time of day.  I like it when the morning is over, knowing residents have been attended to and had their needs met.

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

Probably speaking in front of 200 plus people at an awards ceremony

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Working my way up the ladder, knowing I can do what is expected of me

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

A sense of humour, broad shoulders and patience.  The ability to listen and advise.

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

Spending time with my young grandchildren and reading crime thrillers.

I like the pace.  No two days are the same.

Please detail any relevant education/training

City & Guilds exam in hotel reception. Various Customer Service Courses (B.A/Sussex Police). Various different roles working as a receptionist

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2018

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home

I originally worked for The Old Vicarage from Nov 2017, we were then taken over by Healthcare Homes in March 2018.

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

Legal Receptionist

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

Be customer focused, polite, patient, a good listener, a good telephone manner, good communication and I.T skills

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

Mid-morning, when residents are ‘out and about’, so I can converse with them if they attend reception.

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

Learning the ‘in-house’ computer systems (care plans, Nourish system etc.), familiarising myself with all the residents and their room numbers.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Going on the various trips with the residents!

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Organisational skills, being able to liaise with staff members and also residents alike.

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

I am a member of the gym and enjoy going to various classes. I also enjoy swimming and playing badminton. I am a member of the W.I which I enjoy.

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

Continuing to enjoy working on reception and dealing with the residents queries/appointments etc. and interacting with other staff members.

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2018

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home?

Change

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

Ward Clarke at Yeovil Hospital

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

You need to enjoy lots of interesting people, and you need to be organised.

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

Mid-morning when the post arrives as I take it round to the residents.

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Approachable, understanding, caring, supportive and have good listening skills.

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

Gardening, grandchildren, swimming and reading.

Meeting the residents and their families and working with the rest of the team.