Whether it is inadequate to pay, job dissatisfaction, or an unfavorable work environment—there is a huge staff shortage within the home-care industry across the UK, impacting the quality of care. People are left vulnerable in their rooms for 24 hours a day and denied showers for the entire week. Apparently, “They don’t even have time to talk.”
To ease the burden of the staffing crisis, Safehands Recruitment, a reputable recruitment agency, understands the importance of having a full complement of staff at all times. From nurses to support workers, to care home managers, its exceptional candidates are the driving force behind its operations. All of them are fully trained, inducted, and have completed enhanced DBS checks.
When healthcare agencies approach Safehands Recruitment, here’s what they can expect:
- Last-minute cover shifts
- Experienced & highly skilled staffing
- Induction programs for both clients and candidates
- NHS staffing network
- Dedicated clinical supervisors
- Flexibility and consistency
- On-site auditing
In an interview with Insights Care, Blaise Uzoegbo, a Healthcare Assistant, shares in depth about Safehands Recruitment’s healthcare recruitment process is committed to the care and wellbeing of both the patients and staff.
Following are the excerpts from the interview:
Kindly brief us about your organization and its inception story.
Safehands Recruitment is an award-winning recruitment company registered in England and Wales, with its headquarters in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and branches in other parts of the UK. The organization was established in 2013 with over 500 employees and over 1000 clients in the UK. It is a recruitment solution provider for clients in the health and social care system.
Safehands recruitment is accredited by the care quality commission, recruitment and employment confederation, and occupational health and safety management.
Please tell us about yourself and your professional journey so far.
I’m a healthcare support worker with vast experience in general nursing care and mental health care. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Parasitology and Entomology, and a Master of Science in Public Health.
My passion for improving health and reducing health inequalities across diverse communities inspired me to enroll for an MSc in Public Health. Upon completion of my post-graduate degree, the unquenchable thirst for knowledge and continuous professional development spurred me to take up E-learning courses, participate in other academic programs, and relevant training that has further honed my skills in the delivery of healthcare. My adventure into working in health and social care was not accidental, rather, it has been my area of interest.
What are the core values of the organization? What is its mission and vision statement?
To provide our clients and candidates with a quality recruitment service, built on trust, transparency, and in-depth knowledge of the sectors we work in.
What are the key products and services of your organization and how is it impacting the demographic concerned?
Safehands recruitment specializes in the recruitment, training, and allocation of nurses, support workers, and home managers to provide services to clients with varying healthcare needs, including older adults and children who require special educational needs, general nursing care, support with daily living skills, physical disability, sensory impairment, drug addiction, dementia care, and other mental health disorders.
The work environment includes hospitals, care homes, mental health facilities, community, residential, and supported living settings across the UK. They offer reliable and professional solutions to staffing problems to support the health and social care workforce. Their services have greatly improved patient recovery, quality of life, and independence among its service users.
In what ways is the organization incorporating emerging technological solutions to be the leading home care solution provider in 2023?
In recent times, technological advancements have played a vital role in the delivery of healthcare services globally, and you may agree with me that technology has far-reaching impacts on the development of healthcare solutions. Technology is useful in the day-to-day activities of my organization. On-call consultants are always available to provide 24/7 support and emergency advice to carers on duty. This is the easiest avenue for staff to communicate with their supervisors, and assess professional advice, and reassurance, especially for people in lone-working conditions. As much as I work with my initiative, some situations demand that I call for support to ensure utmost adherence to organizational and safety policies while discharging my duty to the people I care for.
Secondly, my organization conducts regular training and retraining for its staff. We are trained on the proper use and maintenance of new work equipment whilst ensuring the safety of the carer and the patient. Similarly, the use of medical technologies like Ipad and vital pack equipment has enabled healthcare professionals to record medical information, and periodically update the patients’ health status. This technology has aided information sharing and improved access to the patient’s past medical history, especially in emergency situations.
According to you, what are the challenges the home care industry currently faces and how is your organization making the best out of it?
Inadequate staffing to meet increasing demand is a major problem faced by healthcare providers globally, and this could be directly or indirectly attributed to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The low workforce has negatively impacted productivity, as most healthcare workers have had to resign from their positions because of their vulnerabilities and other predisposing factors such as poor health status and age.
In addition, the increasing cases of work burnout, job dissatisfaction, lower pay rates offered by some clients, inadequate equipment, poor training, and unfavorable work environments are some of the many challenges impeding the existence and development of the home-care industry.
To ease the burden, Safehands recruitment operates an easy and swift recruitment process, and ensures an all-year-round recruitment opportunity for prospective employees, thereby ensuring the steady availability of staff. They have brought recruitment down to the grassroots by featuring in career fairs held occasionally in various cities in England and Wales. This way, the problem of poor geographic access to opportunities is defeated. Also, they have attached some other forms of remuneration like issuing discount cards and granting paid holiday leaves to its employees on an as-needed basis.
As an experienced leader, what advice would you like to give to aspiring entrepreneurs and enthusiasts who wish to venture into the competitive industry that you are serving?
The care sector is quite lucrative, yet demanding, in other words, I could argue that it is not for everyone. Demanding, in the sense that you have a legal obligation to take responsibility for the care users; these include safeguarding, the duty of care, the duty of candor, dignity, and respect. I recommend the NHS’s 6Cs of Nursing guideline to help individuals who wish to explore opportunities in the care industry, to assess their suitability for taking up caregiving roles. You must imbibe the core values of care, compassion, courage, communication, competence, and commitment, and not be found wanting in any of the aforementioned. One ought to be self-motivated to enhance personal and professional skills for quality improvement and career development.
What are the future goals of the company? How does it envision scaling up its operations and reach in 2023 and beyond?
To strive to provide reliable, and unmatchable solutions for her clients and candidates.
Give us a few testimonials from your clients or customers, and awards or recognition that accurately highlight your company’s position in the market.
Safehands Recruitment received the award of Hereford Times Health and Social Care Awards 2018. We are proud of our contribution to the healthcare and home care sector, and we shall continue serving our clients with compassion and care.
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