“I joined Westmorland Homecare in 2018 as Staff Development and Training Coordinator. Having worked in Health and Social Care for 30 years, this was a very new path for me, but one that I had all the knowledge for, as I have worked in many sectors from Residential, Community Family Support, Re-enablement, Day services, Hospice Care, to name a few, and the role enabled me to add real emphasis to the training I was delivering. I have a passion for delivering high-quality care, and I now have the opportunity to train others in how to provide high-quality care. The company was very new, and I was able to shape and devise the training structure that is still used today in all branches. It built up my knowledge and skills around the vision for the company, the policies and processes, to ensure that high standards are met, and it has been a real privilege to be involved from the very start.

In 2020, I was promoted to Senior Care Coordinator, and I was also supported to complete my Level 5 Leadership and Management Diploma. I signed up for this the week before Coronavirus sanctions came into place, and I was assigned the COVID Response Coordinator for the company at the time. This developed my knowledge around legislation (which changed frequently), changes in policy and managing the safest way to work through COVID for staff and clients. Whilst this was a challenge for everyone working in Health and Social Care, our team, who worked through this time, showed such dedication and compassion and wanted to keep the clients as safe as possible.

I returned to my Senior role and focused on the managerial aspects of the role. My Care Manager is so supportive of showing me different processes and how to manage situations, which has built up my confidence and knowledge. I still delivered the training and had a fantastic balance of both roles.

At the Christmas Awards party last year, I was proud to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Health and Social Care Award. This was Westmorland Homecare recognising not just what I had done for them, but what I had achieved through my career, and it really was a very special night for me.

In April this year, I was promoted to Deputy Manager. This was such an achievement and recognition of everything I had worked towards. Whilst training has always been such a passion of mine, I was excited to branch out into management, develop my knowledge, implement what I have already learned into the role, and work alongside and support the care manager.

In May this year, I was appointed Care Manager, and I feel truly privileged to take on this role and lead the branch going forward, supporting all staff and clients. Over the years, I have seen the incredible impact that the service can make on people’s lives and the staff who work for the company. I am looking forward to my new role and using the knowledge I already have, as well as learning new skills, and the support I have received has made me value what a wonderful company I work for. Reflecting over the years, and the support and opportunities that have been open to me, really makes Westmorland Homecare a very special place to work.”

“I joined Westmorland Homecare in July 2023, coming from a clinical background in neonatal nursing, with additional experience in kidney care and prison nursing. Although I was new to home care, I felt I had strong transferable skills and began my journey as a Staff Training and Development Coordinator. This role allowed me to develop a good understanding of our processes and policies, build strong relationships with the community team, and complete my Moving and Handling Train the Trainer qualification, enabling me to deliver safe moving and handling training.