A Career in Health and Social Care

As a care worker, you will be responsible for the delivery of personal care, which covers both physical and social requirements, and usually involves taking care of all personal hygiene requirements such as washing, dressing and general cleanliness. This may include administering medication (following appropriate training), the preparation of meals and assistance with general household jobs.  Many care workers support individuals with a range of social activities such as a walk in the park, assistance with shopping, going for a coffee and a natter and maybe a trip to the library. You may be called upon to attend appointments with the individuals from time to time. 

The role of a Community Support Worker is to visit people living in their own homes, and ensure that that they are safe, happy and healthy. As It's an outreach role, there is no personal care involved, simply someone who connects with people to ensure that all is well in the home setting.

To provide new and inspirational resources and ideas to care staff for group and 1-1 social events. To assist residents in care homes with their personal needs in emergency situations. To assist residents who have dementia with activity sessions, reminiscence support, mobility, encouragement and general support within a residential home.

A Patient Care Technician (PCT) will provide daily assistance to individuals, helping them with their basic needs, working closely with medical professionals to achieve excellent patient care. A PCT is a committed and compassionate professional, with great interpersonal skills and the ability to create a supportive environment. You would be expected to be trained in patient care as well as various clinical tasks. The goal is to facilitate the recovery of the ill and injured by providing them critical everyday assistance.

When working in a registered care facility, you will be responsible for the recording and monitoring of staff annual leave, sickness, and staff rota’s. You'll process pre-admission, admission and discharge documents for all new and existing residents. You will follow up and monitor any enquiries for potential new residents’ liaising with family members via telephone and email, ensuring that your verbal and written communication skills are of consistent high standard. You'll prepare contracts and invoices for new residents, plus process fees and arrange and manage individual, confidential filing systems. Ideally you will have proven IT skills, which could include MS Windows (Excel, Outlook, Word and Access) or similar.

Ensuring the environment is clean, welcoming and comfortable for residents in care home facilities and those receiving supported living help at home is of paramount importance. This role could include the making of beds and changing bedding, laundry requirements and general room/facility cleaning and general house tidying, no different to keeping your own home in a clean and tidy manner.  

Keeping records of housekeeping stocks and ordering supplies, both in a Care Home and when working in the community can also be regular duties. 

Working in Facilities is a job role that is sees responsibility for making sure that buildings and site services meet the needs of all of the people that work in them. Facilities Support are accountable for services such as cleaning, security and parking, to make sure the surrounding environment is in a suitable condition to work and meets the needs in terms of Health and Safety in the Workplace.

You could be a qualified Chef, or work as a nursing home cook, preparing meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Your responsibilities may also include cooking a meal to a bed-bound patient or one that follows specific dietary guidelines. You work with health care staff to ensure appropriate nutrition for each resident and that ingredients and food delivery meet the requirements of each individual. Maintaining food stock levels and ensuring that kitchens and food preparation areas are maintained to the necessary Food and Health and Safety Standards each and every time.

The role involves supporting the cook/chef with a range of duties, such as washing and cleaning kitchen utensils, assisting with meal preparation, checking menu requirements and generally assisting with serving meals and general kitchen cleaning and tidying. A great route into gaining professional catering qualifications and further training in Food Handling and Preparation/Hygiene.  

The primary role of a driver/care assistant is to transport a range of people, those with disabilities, general mobility issues and people with long-term illnesses between their homes and day care centres/ other activity settings and meeting up with friends and family. The ability to ensure a safe and pleasurable journey also includes high levels of English spoken communication skills, able to talk and be sociable is key to this role.