In the space of 5 years, Tina at Hamble Heights, rapidly progressed her career in care at Encore, from an agency Healthcare Assistant (HCA) to a permanent Care Practitioner.

Originally an agency carer, Tina noticed the stark difference between other care homes and working at Hamble Heights. She dreaded being sent to other places, so she jumped at the chance to work for Encore permanently.

“Life has really changed since I started working for Encore. I couldn’t be any happier. I feel like part of a family and supported.”

Her dedication to the role, kindness and her desire to always want to help others, meant that within 6 months of Tina becoming a permanent member of the team, she progressed to Senior HCA. Having achieved a BTEC Level 3 in Care, Tina liaised with the nurses and was the care lead on the floor.

“Encore is fantastic! They give us paid breaks, free meals and lots of support; both on the floor and in my personal development and career progression. They paid for me to attend college and gain extra qualifications in care. They also paid me to undertake a shadow shift every week at a local hospice, so that I can do more training on the job in end-of-life care; meaning that I can provide more help and care to our residents.”

Tina’s commitment and passion to learn more and in turn, help others further, guided her to successfully apply to become a Lead. Encore offers staff opportunities to become Champions and Leads within a variety of specialist areas. The roles run alongside their existing one and we give staff the time to develop and listen to their ideas for improvement. For those that are interested in becoming a Champion or Lead, they are asked to write a short statement explaining why they would be the best person for this role, what they will bring to it and how they will develop it.

Tina was successfully chosen to become a Lead in End of Life and a Lead in Falls and Moving & Assisting.

Encore also supported Tina in her further education at Eastleigh College, where she undertook Vocational Related Qualifications in Diabetes, Dementia, Common Illnesses and Parkinson’s, and Medication Awareness.

“I can’t wait to go into work in the morning. The team and the residents at Hamble Heights have all become an extension of my family.”

Tina’s commitment to her career in care continued and Encore championed her in completion of her qualifications to become a Care Practitioner. Tina now supports the nurses by assisting in the administration of medication and dressings.