There’s nothing more anxiety-inducing for a family than not knowing whether someone is going to turn up to care for their son, daughter, or loved one. That’s why we treat communication as seriously as the shift itself. Coordinators and registered managers stay updated throughout, because that information goes straight back to the family. Knowing someone is coming can matter just as much as who it is.

An uncovered shift can leave someone vulnerable, without the person who knows their care and what keeps them safe. In the worst cases, it means a client having to move to a place of safety, or a family stepping in to cover care they were never meant to provide. There’s a commercial cost too, since an unfilled shift is an hour you can’t bill the ICB or case manager for. But the real cost is what happens to the person relying on that shift.

A road traffic accident or a catastrophic injury can change the entire course of someone’s life. We understand the weight of that, which is why clinical skill on its own isn’t enough. Yes, our staff can manage a tracheostomy or feed through a PEG. But can they build genuine rapport with the client, and with their family? We look for the right personality just as much as the right clinical experience.