A new initiative which will celebrate and recognise the hard work of care workers has been launched.
North Somerset Council – in partnership with Alliance Living Care, Brunelcare and Notaro Homecare – has launched the Proud To Care bonus scheme where staff who work for one of the three providers will receive a financial bonus every six months.
The scheme hopes to encourage staff recruitment and retention within the three domiciliary providers.
The council is using part of the £924,000 it received from the Government’s additional social care investment, announced last month, to provide the Proud To Care bonuses.
It believes it will help reduce winter pressures on the NHS in North Somerset.
Head of commissioning, Gerald Hunt, told the Mercury: “For every six months someone stays with their provider, we will pay a bonus which is equivalent to the average wage they have earned over the six months.
“We think it will make a significant different, we recognise domiciliary care is hugely important to health and social care and it is a very challenging role.
“It is central to the council’s vision and to our community.
“It is not an easy job and it is challenging from day-to-day.
“Recruitment is critical and at the moment the turnover in our Clinical Commissioning Group area is 38 per cent a year.”
Team leader at Waverely Court for Brunelcare, Leah Holmes, said: “Getting the recognition, the care and health industry gets a lot of negativity and it is nice to know there is some positivity out there and we are appreciated for what we do.
“We hear it from our customers but it is nice to hear it from our employers.”
All levels of carers from apprentice to leadership are open to receive the bonus.
Alliance Living Care’s Karen Down said: “It is a nice feeling to know someone out there knows what we do and we are appreciated for all the hard work we do.”
Cllr Dawn Payne, executive member with responsibility for adult social care, said: “We want to support our care providers to recruit and retain high quality care staff who are essential in supporting some the most vulnerable members of our communities, helping people live as independently as they can for as long as they can.”
For more information on the Proud To Care scheme, visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/proudtocare
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here