The Potteries

I worked for a local Nursing Agency where I carried out a wide variety of care including hospitals, maternity hospital and care homes.One of the biggest challenges during my time at the Potteries has been transferring 42 residents from Mitchell House (when it closed down) to The Potteries ensuring that they were all settled and reassuring the relatives at such a sensitive time. This was a huge task but with the right support and team work it proved to be a success and all of our residents have settled in well.Feedback from relatives when Mitchell House closed down, in a meeting it was announced that I had been appointed as The Residential Unit Manager for The Potteries, all the relatives cheered and clapped, a lot of them commented on how they felt a lot more comforted knowing that I was going to be there to oversee the transfer.

I joined The Potteries as a team leader in 2013 and was promoted to suite manager a few years later. I enjoy what I do; while it can be very challenging at times, every day is different. It keeps you on your toes! 
Care UKs ethos of care is about supporting residents to enjoy meaningful lives – however that may look for them. We encourage residents on the suite to help with the washing up, or laying tables. One resident likes to push the water jug trolley around with us. Having these little roles gives them a sense of purpose, which can help to calm them.

I've spent twelve years serving in the Army and twenty working in sales and marketing. I joined The Potteries in March 2020 because the healthcare sector really appealed to me. I have first-hand experience of social care, my mum was moved from hospital to a new care home, so I've gone through the same experience as residents loved ones. I wanted to join one of the top care companies in the country, so here I am.

I'm new to the social care sector, so its taken a little time to adapt to the processes and systems, but I'm used to change, leaving the military and moving back into civilian life and the corporate world was a challenge at the time, but exciting too. What I love about this role is meeting families for the first time and showing them around our lovely home. I take pride in ensuring that the transition for new residents and their families is as smooth as possible. 

My background in the care sector includes working in domiciliary care as well as working as a field care supervisor. When a friend recommended The Potteries to me as a great place to work, I thought I’d find out more, and here I am!

I think it’s important to know the residents’ needs when you work in this role so you can organise activities that they’ll love. You need to be organised too – I’ve organised some big events independently, which I’m proud of, and which everyone enjoyed. You also need to think on your feet as things change quickly and residents may be in the mood to do something quite different from the activity you have planned. You just need to go with it, as this is their home and they should do whatever they fancy. 

I get a huge buzz out of delivering a fun activity that everyone has enjoyed. Seeing the happy response from the residents is the best reward.

I love working in the care sector and Care UK are a great company to be part of. I don’t have a favourite part of my day, I love all aspects of my job, from the minute I clock in to the minute I clock out. I enjoy creating new menus by liaising with the residents on their needs, requirements and favourite things to make sure mealtimes are an enjoyable part of their day.

I’m a Team Leader at the Potteries, as well as the home’s moving and handling trainer, a Colleague Voices representative and the home’s Infection Prevention and Control Champion. I joined the home in 2013, and when the opportunity arose to become an IPC champion I was passionate about doing it. I support colleagues day-to-day to ensure our residents are healthy and safe. I provide training support, liaise with the IPC leads and keep up-to-date on policy and guidance regarding infection prevention and control.

I joined The Potteries before it opened, in 2013. In fact, it was the second care home that I’d been involved in commissioning. I’ve worked in the care sector since 1997, I started out as a domiciliary care worker for the Borough of Poole, and before I moved to The Potteries, I was the Business Administrator in another home. I love how no two days are the same here, and I enjoy the combination of the banter and rapport that I have with the residents and the administrative role I do. There’s a fantastic team here at The Potteries. I’m lucky to work with such a lovely group of people and support our wonderful residents.

I’ve run my own cleaning business and worked in other care homes. I joined the team at The Potteries from working in a hotel. I was looking for a more fulfilling role and a fresh challenge, and this fitted the bill perfectly. 

As well as being hardworking, and having a great attention to detail, it’s important to be caring and a good listener in this role. Residents like to have a chat, and you can find you’re the person they want to open up to, so it’s vital that you’re there for them and make time for them. Being a team player is key as well. You need to be willing to get stuck in and do whatever needs doing. I enjoy being able to make a difference to a resident’s day, getting their room nice for them, or having a joke and putting a smile on their face. It’s hugely rewarding. 

I spent 33 years in the Royal Marines, doing a range of different roles. Towards the end of my time, I was an advanced trauma risk practitioner and was deployed overseas and within the UK to handle operational and training incidents. I actually use quite a few of the skills at The Potteries that I acquired in that role, including providing practical help and advice, and being a good listener. 
I enjoy connecting with, and supporting, the residents here in the course of my daily duties. They have interesting life histories and are genuinely nice people who deserve our care, support and respect.