Ever considered working in care?

Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) are on the recruitment hunt for people who may be thinking of a career in care.

Lynda Bradford, Interim Head of Health and Community Care at OHAC said: “Our teams of skilled Carers make a world of difference to the people who use our services by providing the best possible care and support to our service users.”

“There may be people out there whose jobs have sadly been affected by COVID-19 or young people thinking of leaving school shortly, a career in care might be an option for you.”

Why not ask yourself these questions:

• Are you a caring, compassionate and reliable person who is interested in supporting people in your own local community?
• Do you want to make a difference in the lives of people within your community?
• Do you want to help people thrive, not just survive?

Then being a Carer could be just the job you are looking for.

OHAC is part of the fabric of the Orkney community with a range of different facilities and services that support people in Orkney such as Older peoples residential care, supported accommodation, physical disability service, day care centres, learning disability services and day services and care at home services.

Have a read about what these services and facilities offer here

We spoke to a few existing carers to see what makes a job in care for them, see what they have to say.

Linda Wylie, Social Care Assistant at St Rognvald’s House said: “I have worked at various jobs so far throughout my life but when I took on a domestic post in a care Home in Aberdeenshire as extra part-time work, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“Meeting all the residents, chatting to them and care staff is what led me to try and become a carer; four years on I have gained so much experience.

“The job satisfaction you get each day being able to help people who need that bit extra support is what makes it all worthwhile.

“I have just recently relocated back to Orkney and really enjoying my post of Social Care Assistant at St Rognvald House.”

Rachel Thomson, Social Care Worker at St Rognvald House said: “I have lived in Orkney my whole life and have had many different jobs over the years including opening up my own business.

“Each job had positives but none quite ticked all the boxes. I sold the Deli and became a mature student at Orkney College and completed an HNC and SVQ 3 in Health and Social Care.

“It was the best decision I have ever made, and I have never looked back.

“To begin with I worked with adults with Autism and then moved to Older Peoples Services. I feel very lucky to do the job I do.

“It is incredibly rewarding and being able to make even the smallest difference to an individual’s life is fulfilling.

“It can be really challenging, heartbreaking and stressful but it is also an honour and privilege to support the people I do, including their family.

“I would recommend working in Older Peoples Services to anyone who has compassion and wants a rewarding career.

“Working in care is a good career choice, you can gain qualifications and it is a skilled job.

“I have been working at St Rognvald House for over 12 years and still absolutely love my job, I go home knowing I have made a difference to someone’s life.”

Gary Johnston, Chef at Smiddybrae Care Home said: “I, like many other who were working in the hospitality industry, found myself furloughed because of the pandemic. After discussions with the management and owners of the hotel I worked with, a decision was made to keep the hotel closed for the remainder of the year. This made me realise I needed to find something else to do.

“When the post as a chef at Smiddy Brae came up, I applied and was amazed to hear there was not many applications for it. I got the job and can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised by just how rewarding the job would be.

“After working in the hospitality industry I did think that this wouldn’t be a very taxing job but I was just unaware how much I would appreciate working in a care home. It’s different type of work but it’s so important to the residents and it’s lovely to be able to give back to the community.

“This job gives me job security that sadly the hospitality industry doesn’t give at the moment. Working on a rolling rota instead of split shifts in hotels is ideal for me as it gives me more time to spend with my family.

“During the pandemic, residents haven’t been able to get many visitors and meals are something they can find joy in. Cooking for vulnerable people, learning about different diets and ways to prepare their meals, and putting so much effort into keeping the residents fed well, is so rewarding. You realise you are doing good. It’s lovely to see that residents are happy and well cared for and I even receive little notes of thanks from them.

“2020 is a good enough advert to think about working in this industry alone, there will always be people that need to be in care homes. I would say to those who are still thinking about a job in hospitality, have a think about working in care as there are aspects of the job you wouldn’t think about, I certainly never thought it would be like this. When starting out in kitchens, even if you are a talented chef you can find yourself stuck behind a fryer or on a salad bar and not being able to showcase your abilities. It’s definitely a career path to think about.”

Within this service there are a variety of roles to suit many different skill sets.

Lynda Bradford added: “Keep an eye on the OIC Updates Facebook page to hear more stories from other staff in Social Care about what they enjoy about their roles.”

The vacancies can be found on the MyJobScotland website, under Social Care Opportunities reference ORK04323 and here - https://uk01-shorturl.lumessetalentlink.com/axeg