We don’t know about you, but we’ve seen and heard the term ‘uncertain’ a lot recently. This year has been a challenging one, and – for many of us – the pandemic has had an impact on our families, careers and everything in between.
While the UK is currently dealing with a second wave of restrictions and looming curfews, the care sector is still facing the unparalleled challenge that presented itself the first time around. Already tasked to take care of vulnerable clients, both in assisted living facilities and private homes, support workers and carers were suddenly met with a much more difficult role. The lack of information about – and research into – Covid-19 meant that even the most senior health professionals had little advice to give from the outset. Since the outbreak, we have been overwhelmed by the dedication shown by our staff, with some care workers at Superior Healthcare (and elsewhere) making the decision to leave their loved ones and move into both client and residential homes to shield their vulnerable inhabitants. With so much negativity around us, it’s been heartwarming to see acts of kindness such as these. With this in mind, and in a bid to provide carers and support workers with a little more security, Superior Healthcare has launched permanent contracts that offer guaranteed hours.
What does this mean?
Designed to provide carers and support workers with job stability and career development opportunities, these contracts give care professionals the chance to gain experience across the sector. Ultimately, they enable carers to do what they love without the added pressure that can come with the territory, and without feeling overwhelmed. They also encourage career progression and offer specialist training opportunities, as carers work across multiple settings, allowing them to expand their horizons should they wish to. As we move forward, and when life starts to look a little more like it did pre-coronavirus, we’ll be excited to help our carers work with more people in more environments, all while giving them the foundation they need to build a fulfilling career.
In October, carer Monica Matthews signed our first guaranteed hours contract. Already a Superior Healthcare team member, Monica was happy with her role but was looking for the job security and stability offered by this contract.
“I need to have guaranteed hours,” she explained. “It’s difficult to live day to day not knowing when my next shift will be, so I’m really excited to have been given this opportunity. Superior Healthcare is one of the best companies I’ve worked for, and I’m looking forward to the next step in my career,” she added.
These new permanent contracts promise ongoing work for carers and support workers looking for reassurance and guaranteed work, which is more important now than ever before. Working alongside residential, care and nursing homes and along with supported living services across Kent and beyond, Superior Healthcare has the capacity to offer permanent contracts to our staff, knowing the hours will be there for those that want them.
Each of our team members can give our clients the time, care and attention they need – without the risk of burning out. The recently-published ‘Social Care Sector COVID-19 Support Taskforce: final report, advice and recommendations’ document available at gov.uk states that “a test of any country is the degree to which it supports and enables those who need care and support to stay safe and to lead the best lives they can” and we couldn’t agree more.
If you’re an experienced care or support worker, and you’d like to help us do exactly that, get in touch with us here.
