care agencies Archives - Deckchair Care

November 25, 2023

Unleash Your Potential: Student Nurses, Embrace the Rewards of Domiciliary Care Work!

Introduction:

In the dynamic world of healthcare, the role of student nurses is pivotal, and there’s an exciting avenue waiting to be explored – domiciliary care work. As a student nurse, stepping into the realm of domiciliary care offers not only invaluable work experience but also flexible hours and competitive pay rates. This unique opportunity allows you to hone your nursing skills while making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need.

Practical Work Experience: Elevate Your Nursing Skills

Domiciliary care work provides a hands-on environment for student nurses to apply and enhance their theoretical knowledge. Working directly with individuals in the comfort of their homes exposes you to a diverse range of healthcare scenarios. From administering medications to wound care and health monitoring, the practical experience gained in domiciliary care settings complements your academic learning, laying a solid foundation for your future nursing career.

Flexible Hours: Tailoring Work Around Your Studies

Recognizing the demanding nature of nursing education, domiciliary care work offers the flexibility needed for students to strike a balance between academic commitments and gaining practical experience. The ability to choose your working hours allows you to seamlessly integrate work into your schedule, ensuring you can fulfill both your educational and professional responsibilities without compromising either.

Competitive Pay Rates: Value for Your Expertise

Domiciliary care work acknowledges the expertise that student nurses bring to the table. Unlike some other work experiences, this role offers competitive pay rates, ensuring that your dedication and skills are appropriately recognized. As you embark on your journey toward becoming a fully qualified nurse, the financial rewards from domiciliary care work can alleviate some of the economic pressures associated with student life.

Building Patient-Centered Relationships: A Fulfilling Journey

Beyond the educational and financial advantages, working in domiciliary care allows student nurses to forge meaningful connections with their patients. This personalized approach to care fosters a patient-centered mindset, a crucial aspect of nursing practice. These relationships not only contribute to the well-being of your clients but also enhance your ability to provide compassionate and tailored care as you progress in your nursing career.

Conclusion:

For student nurses seeking a holistic learning experience that goes beyond textbooks and lecture halls, domiciliary care work is an inviting pathway. Offering flexible hours, competitive pay rates, and the chance to make a real impact on individuals’ lives, this opportunity aligns seamlessly with the dynamic lifestyle of a student nurse. As you embark on this fulfilling journey, domiciliary care work not only complements your academic pursuits but propels you toward becoming a well-rounded and compassionate healthcare professional. Join us and unleash your potential!

About Deckchair Care

Deckchair Care are an independent, privately-owned care agency. We look after the elderly in Cheshire and South Manchester.

£3m Social Care Recruitment Scheme

Charities and care groups have said that the “long overdue” recruitment drive would not be enough without fundamental changes to improve working conditions.

650,000 workers will be needed by 2035 to look after rising numbers of older patients, ministers said.

Care experts pointed out that around 400,000 social care workers leave the sector every year – a turnover rate of 30.7 per cent, twice the national average.

As of February 2018, the average hourly rate for care workers in the private sector is £7.82 per hour, a penny less than the national minimum wage for over 25s. (Deckchair Care pay £10ph and guarantee a salary – no zero hour contracts – unless people want). See our care agency jobs page.

Industry low wages are the biggest barrier to hiring and holding on to staff for 80 per cent of care agencies.

While the government promised social care reforms back in 2017, a pledged green paper has been delayed multiple times and still has not got a publication date. Meanwhile staff leave to work in better paid NHS roles or quit altogether.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our green paper, published shortly, will look at long term sustainable solutions for the adult social care system including how we can recruit and retain a valued workforce.

“In the meantime there is huge demand for more care professionals and we need to spread the word that careers in adult social care can be hugely rewarding, varied and worthwhile.”

Read more about this topic in the Independent here.

About Deckchair Care

Deckchair Care are an independent, privately-owned care agency. We look after the elderly in Cheshire and South Manchester.

Allied Healthcare Struggling with Low Social Care Payments

The Care Quality Commission has issued a notice saying it has serious doubts about the future of Allied Healthcare.

However a spokesman for Allied Healthcare has said the company was “surprised and deeply disappointed” by the move, and that it was “premature and unwarranted” as there was no risk to services because financing had been secured.

However, the CQC said it was concerned about its prospects from the end of this month.

UK Care Agency

The care agency provides services, such as help washing and dressing, to more than 13,000 people across the UK.

The regulator has written to all the affected local authorities as they would have responsibility to step in if services are disrupted.

Earlier this year Allied announced it was struggling with debts blaming low fees paid by councils.

The regulator said it had a legal duty to warn councils that business failure was likely and services could stop.

It is important to note – especially for staff and clients that it does not mean failure will definitely happen. Just that as things stand it is deemed likely.

This is the first time a notice like this has been issued to a whole provider – previous warnings have just related to individual services.

Hopefully Allied Healthcare can get through a difficult time and continue helping the elderly in our society.

More details about the CQC report can be found here

About Deckchair Care

Deckchair Care are an independent, privately-owned and financed care agency. We help to look after the elderly in Cheshire and South Manchester.

Currently, we do not work with councils on a contractual basis because the fees that are available are well below what is needed to provide a sustainable level of care.

We pay our staff well above the minimum wage. The level of service we offer would not be possible based on council funding alone.

However, we do work with private clients that receive council contributions to their care that they top up. We work closely with our colleagues in the council, social care and NHS departments to support clients that are referred to us.

Read more about our care service on our website here.

August 27, 2018August 28, 2018

Home Care Frequently Asked Questions

What are home care agencies?

Home care agencies are private companies that offer care services to the elderly or disabled in their own home.

What are home care services?

Home care services include:

Personal Care, which includes help with personal hygiene.
Help getting out of bed and dressed.
Meal preparation.
Medication prompts.
Help with household chores.
Social trips and companionship.

What does home care mean?

A carer visits a client’s home to an agreed schedule to provide care and carry out support tasks.

They can fulfill personal care and general household duties. The level of care provided depends on the individual needs and agreed care plan. It can range from social trips and housekeeping to high dependency, intensive personal care.

Home much does a carer cost per hour?

Private care – through a CQC regulated company – costs around £15 for a 30 minute visit.

If you employ a carer directly – i.e. not through an agency – costs can range between £10 – £14 per hour. However, you will need to arrange for holiday cover, insurance and pension payments. You will also need to think about cover for illness and ensure the carer is DBS checked and licensed with the local authority or regulator.

Home Care Funding Options

You may be eligible for state funding that will contribute to this cost. Contact your local social services department – they will carry out an assessment of your care needs.

If your local authority then agrees you need care, they will assess your finances. They will determine how much care will be funded by the state, and whether you need to contribute too. If your needs meet the national eligibility criteria, the law requires that it must ensure that these needs are met.

If you’re eligible for funded care, your local authority will point you towards their nominated care provider. They may also recommend a local service.

Personal Care Budget

If you are entitled to it, your local authority will sometimes pay what it can fund for you directly into your bank account. This is referred to as a ‘Personal Budget’ or ‘Direct Payment’ and you can use it to pay for care yourself. This gives you more control over your care and allows you to buy care services from your preferred provider. If you can’t manage your Direct Payment yourself, you can choose to have it paid to a family member or friend. They then take on the responsibilities for you.

Find out more at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support/assessment-care-needs/

Find out about more about the home care services Deckchair Care provides.

January 22, 2018January 22, 2018

Do you, or do you have an elderly relative currently receiving homecare?

In our efforts to provide excellent homecare, we’d like to understand how people feel about the care they – or their relatives – currently receive.

Take Our Home Care Survey Now

We know there are some great agencies out there offering an excellent service. We’d like to understand what they are doing well and where we could all improve.

Deckchair Care’s objective is to offer excellent homecare.

To us, this means

Being reliable (turn up when we say),
Capable (being well trained and knowledgeable),
Friendly.

We have also identified communication as a current issue. For example, clients not knowing which carer is attending the next appointment; or relatives not being updated with what care is being provided.

Take Our Home Care Survey Now

We have developed a secure online system that allows carers, clients and relatives access to a centralised database. This holds details of upcoming appointments as well as the outcomes of previous ones. Relatives are telling us that they are finding it reassuring being notified when carers arrive and leave an appointment. Plus they get to read what has happened during a visit and any comments the carer makes.

Replacing the old paper-based system also saves time, meaning carers have more time to do what they are there for.

Please take a couple of minutes to tell us about the home care service you have experienced.

Take Our Home Care Survey Now

Thanks

The Deckchair Care Team

January 11, 2018January 11, 2018

Local Care Agencies – Where We Work

Deckchair Care is a domiciliary home care company working in and around the Cheadle area. We also operate in the following postcodes areas: SK7, SK8 and SK9. Find out more about where we work here.

We do have a couple of exceptions, for example, we have a couple of clients up the road in Sale and one as far down as Alderley Edge.

Local Care Agencies

On the whole, we try to keep our client base centralised and work in and around Cheadle, Wilmslow and Cheadle-Hulme.

This helps us to keep our carers travel time to a minimum and provide a more efficient service to our clients.

Deckchair Care was primarily set up to help people, if we can get to you and provide assistance, then we will try our best to accommodate your requirements. So even if you are outside of our core area, please feel free to get in touch for a chat.

Thanks

Debs