Northwich MP encouraging people to consider career in care

Mike Amesbury visited Home Instead Northwich who would love to expand their services by recruiting 30-40 more carers to support people in their own homes, if only they were available.

The Gadbrook Park operation – part of a national business - currently employs 30-plus carers serving 84 clients in the Northwich, Winsford, Delamere and Knutsford areas.

There are another 20 potential clients on the waiting list but competition for the target workforce is stiff with hospitality and retail also crying out for employees.

Mr Amesbury said: "Head of operations Nick Hodgson stressed the social care sector nationally is suffering a recruitment crisis.

"As he explained, if they haven’t got the staff, they can’t provide the care."

The MP for Weaver Vale added: "A knock-on effect being reported across the country is that our under-pressure hospitals are also struggling with so-called bed blocking.

"This often involves elderly people who were admitted due to illness or a fall who are well enough to be discharged following treatment but there is nobody available to deliver the care package they need back in their own home."

The MP was impressed with the quality of care provided by Home Instead where the minimum length of each visit is one hour. He was pleased the pay is more than £11 per hour, a rate above the Living Wage rate.

Mr Amesbury added: "The care sector has a bad reputation because of a few unscrupulous operators.

"However, my impression of Home Instead is of a premium care provider that offers a good service to clients and treats its workforce fairly, with good training opportunities.

"The main attribute they appear to be looking for in anyone considering this line of work is to have a kind heart.

"I gather flexibility is also important as the nature of the work means it can involve some unsocial hours in the evenings and at weekends."

For more details, visit: www.homeinstead.co.uk/northwich-knutsford/vacancies/