Issue 47 10.03.21
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The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Group’s staff thanked on anniversary A NORTH Yorkshire care group has made a special video to thank its staff for the amazing way they have coped with Covid-19 on the first anniversary of the pandemic. Saint Cecilia’s Care Group asked celebrated social care advocate and dementia campaigner Big Ian Donaghy to create a video to provide a thank you to each of its 160 staff across its four homes and day care centre in the Scarborough area. The five-minute video features a montage of photos of care going on across all five of Saint Cecilia’s centres – its nursing home, two care homes and day care centre in Scarborough and care home in Pickering. Managing director Mike Padgham pays his tribute to staff then it is left to Big Ian to give a heart-felt thanks to the teams. In the video Ian said: “You never knew if you were going to be safe, but you put the lives of the people you care for before your own. When people were afraid you listened…when nobody had any answers you tried to explain putting the safety of the people you cared for before your own. “Thank you doesn’t come
close. People will remember how you’ve behaved in this tough time…people won’t forget. Kindness is never wasted.” Saint Cecilia’s group director Laura Clegg added: “The way our staff have responded to the stressful, daily challenges of Covid-19 has been nothing short of amazing and we wanted to recognize that in a special and unique way. “This has been a dreadful year but as we mark a dark 12 months, we hope that there are better times ahead. In thanking our staff, we join with them in hoping that the next 12 months will bring an end to Covid-19 and the celebration of a return to normality. This is a thank you to our staff, but it goes out to all social care staff up and down the country who have responded so magnificently during the past year.” Each member of staff has also been given a signed copy of Ian’s new book “A Pocketful of Kindness” which he describes as “…a pocket-sized collection of stories and pearls of wisdom to remind you of the true power of being thoughtful, compassionate and empathetic to others… to show that acts of kindness will be remembered for ever.”
Association welcomes list addition
Two team members at Bluebird Care Leeds North have trained as volunteer vaccinators to help administer Covid-19 vaccines in the local community. Director Sheree Jenman and care manager Sophie Lowndes wanted to ensure as many local people as possible received the vaccine. They had seen first-hand the effects that the pandemic has had on the community, including the loneliness and isolation of some of the most vulnerable people. They hope that in training as vaccinators they can step up to help those in need. Sheree said: “It is wonderful to see how relieved Bluebird Care Leeds North customers have been to receive their vaccines. We decided we wanted go the extra mile to help our local community, so two of us decided to train as vaccinators.”
NATIONAL Care Association has welcomed the Home Office announcement to add senior social care staff to the shortage occupation list. Executive chairman Nadra Ahmed OBE said: “NCA has campaigned tirelessly over the past three years to ensure that migrant recruitment into social care remained an option to the sector as Brexit impacted. “Our preference will always be to recruit from a domestic workforce, as it remains the most effective and sustainable route. “However, as vacancy rates show no sign of improving and the demographic indicate a clear need for more staff, it was imperative that the HO listened to our concerns and the advice of their own experts who form the Migration Advisory Committee. “We hope that the visa routes are accessible for our sector and there are no hidden barriers to what will be seen as a welcome step from the Home Secretary by social care providers.” Regrettably the domestic workforce who could undertake caring responsibilities in our sector have not stepped up to fill the vacancies. Additionally, it has become clear that there is sheer exhaustion and fatigue amongst those who have worked tirelessly over the past year and we now face the very real risk of exits from the sector by the workforce, including senior staff.