Plymouth City Council is launching a new dedicated campaign to encourage more people to consider working in the home care sector.
Home care or domiciliary care assistants are vital to support people to improve and maintain their independence, enabling them to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible. However, a shortage of staff in this sector means there is increased pressure on hospital wards and care homes as people are unable to return home. This lack of staff comes on top of the increased pressure that the health and social care sector were already under due to the effect of the Coronavirus Pandemic
In 2020 the City Council joined forces with Devon and Torbay Councils to launch the Proud to Care campaign, aimed at recruiting more people across the entire health and social care sector to ease the pressure on hospitals.
Since its launch almost 300 people have been offered employment through Proud to Care’s applicant placing service, while thousands more have applied directly for the hundreds of jobs advertised on the Proud to Care jobs board.
However, despite the numbers recruited there is still a significant gap in the domiciliary care market in Plymouth, which is why the council is now launching a new dedicated campaign which focuses solely on recruiting staff in this area. Localised support for applicants will be coordinated through Skills Launchpad Plymouth including help for individuals to prepare for interview in a care setting, the opportunity to gain entry level care skills to build confidence, and advice to overcome barriers to starting work including access to financial support for work clothing, initial travel to work costs as well as guidance on benefits calculations.
The new campaign will focus on the benefits of a job in home care which includes promoting the flexibility to choose the sort of hours that are right for the applicant. All as well as flexible hours other benefits include; paid holiday on top of the hourly rate, paid mileage and travel time.
Trudy Phillips, who has been working as a home care assistant for 14 years, said:
“I have loved the flexibility of the caring role and have continued to provide care and support to my clients alongside working in the office. I joined the care industry with little experience and received full training and support to help me provide the best care possible. I find promoting independence and caring for clients in a dignified manner very rewarding, it gives me great satisfaction knowing that I am supporting clients to achieve their goals and remaining within their own home.”
Strategic commissioning manager Caroline Paterson, who works closely with the city’s domiciliary care providers, said:
“Our providers are really keen to highlight that working with people to enable them to maintain their independence and continue to live in their own homes is one of the most rewarding jobs there is. A job where you really feel you have made a difference to someone’s day.
“All home care Assistants receive excellent training and will be supported if they choose to study for any of the professional qualifications available. Work is available all day, every day, seven days a week and therefore assistants can work flexibly at times that fit in with their lifestyle to provide that perfect work/life balance.”
Visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/workinhomecare to find out more about working in home care and the comprehensive support available.
