My first role within the social care, was my employment with Derbyshire County Council Social Services, to provide care to older adults in their own home. This would include personal care, meal preparation and moving and handling. This job gave me a valuable insight into social care, as this was my first experience in this field, and provided me with the knowledge to develop into my next role as Team Leader.

In July 2009, I was employed by Extra Care to work at their new retirement village, which provides independent living for older adults, as a Team Leader. My role as Team Leader was to manage a team of on-site care staff, ensuring the smooth running of daily shifts. I held meetings with care residents, assessing their needs for care packages, with family, social services and other relevant bodies to set up packages and ensure the resident continued to receive the care they required through regular reviews. In cases of a serious issue, it could entail safe- guarding the resident and the appropriate reprimanding of the staff member. Where residents were due for discharge from hospital, I would do the relevant assessments and liaise with the hospital discharge teams to ensure that the resident could return home with the correct level of care package in place.   

I was a main key holder to approximately 400 properties and all main and communal areas. I was a first responder to fire and medical emergencies, leading to reporting of any such incidents. I was responsible for collating accident forms, reporting serious incidents to RIDDOR, and ensuring all relevant risk assessments were updated. I would make sure that the resident received medical treatment and provide checks 12,24 and 36 hours after the initial incident. I was also sadly involved in several incidents were residents passed away, and had to deal with family, police, ambulance and G. P’s.  I trained staff in Medication and monitored medication administration to the residents by monthly medication audits. When an incident occurred, I completed medication incident forms, which would require interviewing the staff member, resident and family members. Consulting with Pharmacists and GP’s. On occasions of serious incidents, social services would be informed of safe-guarding issues. Where a staff member was suspended from administering medication, I would be responsible for re training and monitoring of the individual’s future performance.    I also trained staff in Moving and Handling, theory and practical, relevant to the job role they held in the village.

When I began my role at MAE Interventions in 2018, I was initially taken into employment as a dementia advocacy assistant. MAE interventions work with adults that have either a diagnosis of dementia or relating cognitive impairments. MAE Interventions support them people to live as independently as possible, within the everyday constraints of living with dementia. MAE Interventions support customers to be treated with respect and dignity, and openly listen to their needs and wishes.  MAE Interventions support customer’s social inclusion by taking them to activities, appointments to health professionals, assisting them with nutritional guidance and food preparation, and any cultural or religious activities. MAE Interventions support them to make informed choices with daily activities, working closely with other health professionals and the customers family and friends. MAE Interventions also work successfully with other agencies, who may be supporting our customers with needs that we can’t currently assist them with, medication administration and personal care.

In April 2019, I was promoted to become the Manager for MAE Interventions.  MAE Interventions supports customers and their families in times of crisis and ensure that they are supported and signposted to the correct specialist help. I would deal with any customer complaints and any issues that may involve safe-guarding. I continued to visit customers, as I felt that I could ensure the team were providing a quality service to the customers and I would keep the customers families up to date on that progress.

While MAE Interventions was providing a great service, we were unable to provide care services, such as medication administration and personal care, as we were not registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). I applied for registration as I had customers whose needs were changing, and their families wanted to know that their loved ones would still be able to be cared for by people they knew and trusted.

Qualifications and statutory and mandatory training taken:

• Apprenticeship for Management level 3

• NVQ 3: Health and Social Care.

• NVQ 2: Team Leader Management.

• NVQ 2: Health and Social Care.

• IIOSH: Managing Health and Safety (valid to 2021)

• First aid 3-day course- First responder – 2021

• Ofqual Level 2 Independent Advocacy

• Dementia Care Level 2(the principles of)

• Safer people moving and handling train the trainer (valid to 2024)

• Medications Level 2 (VTQ)

• Mental capacity act Level 2 (VTQ)

• Safe Guarding of Vulnerable Adults Level 2

• Health and Safety in workplace Level 2 (VTQ)

• Diet, Nutrition and Hydration Level 2 (VTQ)

• Equality Act 2010

• Basic food safety awareness

• Equality and Diversity

• Basic Life support

• COSHH

• Diabetes awareness

• Infection control

• Personal Protective equipment P.P.E

• Work in a person centred way

• Duty of candour

• Fire safety awareness