Issue 1 20.10.20
Care
BUSINESS
The online magazine for the domiciliary care sector
Provider to roll out app across its franchises
Operator wins top accolade
Care
HOMECARE provider Bluebird Care plans to roll out the innovative recruitment app Care Friends as part of its recruitment process across its network of 200+ franchises in the UK and Ireland. Care Friends is an employee referral app that uses gamification to incentivise staff to share jobs with their friends and contacts straight from their phones, as well as allowing managers to reward staff instantly for great work. Care Friends was created by Neil Eastwood, author of ‘Saving Social Care’, and was launched in June in partnership with Skills for Care. He said: “I am delighted we are now partnering with Bluebird Care nationally, one of the most respected brands in homecare. “It is validation of the excellent results we have seen across our pilot homecare sites, which have continued apace since our official launch just three months ago. “This partnership demonstrates the potential of Care Friends to support the recruitment and retention of a high-quality homecare workforce, at scale.” Employees that join the industry through referrals are more likely to stay in the care sector for longer, and Care Friends will allow Bluebird Care to access hidden talent within local communities.
The Bluebird Care workforce also benefit; the app financially rewards the employee at each step of the referral process as well as allowing them to collect bonus points as a thank you, or be recognised for an accomplishment, such as long service. Several offices from across the Bluebird Care franchise network have been piloting the app for several months. Katy Falconer, head of people, engagement and culture at Bluebird Care, added: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Care Friends, this innovative app is exactly what we need to help us improve both our recruitment and retention. “Some of our best carers have joined Bluebird Care because they were inspired by other friends and family in the care sector. “With Covid-19, our recruitment process has been streamlined and we are increasingly using technology to ensure we comply with social distancing guidelines. “It is great that our teams can benefit from recommending friends in this way and managers can instantly acknowledge outstanding work straight to the care assistant’s phone. “Recognising and rewarding our carers have always been our top priorities and we look forward to utilising the app more.”
Care
GMB has launched a domiciliary care campaign to help save a ‘service in crisis’.The ‘Taking Care’ charter has been set up to tackle the lack of funding, poor wages and 47 per cent staff turnover in homecare. The union has identified six key action points for local and national governments and care providers to ensure people get the care they deserve in their homes, while care workers are treated with the dignity they deserve. Rachel Harrison, GMB national officer, said: “It’s clear to anyone who has any involvement in domiciliary care that the service is in crisis. Whether it’s the poor wages, and in some cases non-payment for the time carers have to spend out there in the community, or the resulting 47 per cent staff turnover that causes a further crisis in recruitment; there is massive problems for both staff and providers. All parties and all governments need to address the chronic problems and ongoing crisis across care.”
A BIG THANK YOU
FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING TO KEEP OUR MOST VULNERABLE SAFE AND HAPPY …
WE’RE IN AWE OF YOUR SELFLESS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.
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ORAN Care has been recognised as an industry leader in innovation after winning the Scottish Care Award for Technology and People. As part of its mission to raise the standard of care at home, the Fife-based company is committed to finding new ways of using technology to improve the standards of care delivered. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of technology across the care industry and Oran Care intends to remain ahead of this trend by using technology to assist clients beyond just care visits, helping them to feel even more safe, connected and confident living at home. The company has done this through several key developments. These include creating podcasts to keep service users entertained and informed, providing video updates on the latest company news and implementing electronic monitoring systems to create a highly responsive care service. Managing director Jonathan McFarlane said: “Technology can only ever be as good as the people who are using it. “We’re so grateful to have such a fantastic team of carers who go above and beyond, day in and day out to improve the wellbeing of our service users. “We will continue to find new ways to improve the quality of care for our service users at every opportunity.”
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