“ Life has really changed since I started working
 for Encore. I couldn’t be any happier.”

From agency to a family

Summer 2014…

Tina Hughes first started working for Encore’s Hamble Heights in Fareham, as an agency carer in the summer of 2014. Over the next 6 months, Tina gained regular weekly shifts at Hamble Heights; getting to know the residents and the team.

As an agency carer, Tina noticed the stark difference between other care homes and working at Hamble Heights. She recalled that at one 30-bed care home,
Tina was one of only three carers and she was expected to clean, cook, wash and fetch residents’ clothes from the laundry, as well as carry out all care duties.

January 2015…

Tina loved coming to work each week at Hamble Heights and dreaded being sent to other places, so she jumped at the chance to work for Encore permanently. Hamble Heights was so pleased with Tina’s sunny disposition and caring nature that in January 2015, Tina became a permanent Healthcare Assistant (HCA) and joined the family at Hamble Heights.

Recognised and rewarded

July 2015…

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 liaises with the nurses as Senior HCA and is the care lead on the floor. She uses her initiative and ensures good communications within the care team.

Making a difference

March 2017…

Hamble Heights secured certificate status for delivering the 6 Steps End of Life Programme due to the hard work and commitment of Tina and the Unit Manager, Sue Davy. This fantastic achievement means that Hamble Heights is equipped to not only recognise end of life situations but to manage them more effectively; working in partnership with the individuals, their families, carers and other organisations to deliver the best quality of care.

Career progression

August 2017…

Tina’s commitment and passion to learn more and in turn, help others further, guided her to successfully apply to become a Lead. At Encore, we continually train and develop our staff so that they can provide the very highest standard of care to residents. We also want our teams to develop their skillset and progress in their role.

As such, 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 & Handling.

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 & Handling.

Personal development and support

Tina’s desire to learn more skills in care is fully supported by Encore and as such, Tina is shadowing with Rowans Hospice to gain more experience in end of life care, which she finds to be an extremely rewarding and worthwhile vocation.

Tina is also supported by Encore in her further education at Eastleigh College, where she is undertaking Vocational Related Qualifications. In her own time, Tina has completed qualifications in Diabetes, Dementia, Common Illnesses and Parkinson’s, and Medication Awareness; each qualification taking 6 months to complete, such is Tina’s commitment to her role at Encore.

The sky’s the limit

Tina’s ambition continues and her goal in 2018 is to become a Care Practioner at Hamble Heights; supporting nurses and assisting in the administration of medication and dressings.