• What do you do / where did you work before joining Medvivo?

  Before joining Medvivo I worked as a mental health support worker. I wasn’t necessarily looking to leave my old job, but this role looked interesting and varied. Working in mental health can be wearing, so moving into another field appealed to me.

  While many of the skills I already had have been transferable, it was a positive move for me that has given me plenty of opportunities to develop further. And I’m still here enjoying the job several years later.

• What do you get up to on a typical day/shift?

  As a team, every day starts off with an initial structure in place. The team leads will send out planned visits for the day, although at any point after that, calls can come which means they may need re-prioritising - especially for any non-injury fall call outs or where we haven’t been able to contact someone who has triggered an alert within the telecare service.

  A visit could involve anything from giving someone a shower, dressing them, and preparing breakfast to caring for someone who is coming to the end of their life. In between visits though, we also have plenty of other jobs to complete, such as note writing, training, cleaning, or tidying the cars and carrying out team audits.

  During the shift, we are in regular contact with the team leads, regardless of the time of day. We are trained to be able to take basic observations which is essential when monitoring service users if additional clinical support is needed, or an ambulance.

  The team covers south, west, and north Wiltshire. At busy times we can be called to other areas to provide support, which is particularly helpful when the team must rapidly re-organise planned visits.

• What do you like most about working here?

  Caring for people is what I really enjoy doing. My preference is end of life care, which may sound strange, but being able to spend time with that person and their family really makes a difference to all involved, including our team.

  You really cannot underestimate what it means to be able to support someone to pass where they want to, and know you can do something to support them, even if it is just keeping them dry, maintaining their dignity and getting help if they are in pain.

• What has been your biggest achievement or something you’ve been most proud of? – e.g. Star Awards, Compliments, Training Certificates.

  After more than five years’ service, I feel like I am Medvivo’s Matriarch for the team. During this time, I feel I’ve supported the team in many ways both personally and professionally.

  We are a strong team, and if there’s one thing we have in common, it’s our adaptability to the personalities of our service users. Understanding the degrees of empathy and use of humour helps us to be able to build good relationships quite quickly; another essential skill we need.

• What makes someone successful here?

  A good sense of humour is essential, but also recognising and acknowledging you always have reliable people around you when you need help. Even if it’s not in person, someone is always available at the end of a phone or text.

  You need to be open and receptive to change, whether that’s your planned visits schedule, or your working hours or location. Flexibility works both ways though as a good work/life balance is important.

  If you like helping people, making a difference to how people feel and how they live, then this role will suit you perfectly.

• How are you supported in your role – in terms of your manager support, and also training/development?

  Team leads are available during your shift. As Medvivo operates 24/7, there is also a team of coordinators and clinicians who are available at all times, should we need help.

  Everyone has access to clinical supervision where we can review cases and talk about difficult visits or end of life cases. With my background in mental health, I know the importance of this kind of help, and we do also support each other as much as we can.

  We all have mandatory training to complete online, plus life support and manual handling training each year. If you wish to do additional training, Medvivo is receptive to this and will consider opportunities that become available.

• What challenges do you face in your role and how do you overcome them?

  Although I prefer end of life care, it can sometimes be a challenge – when someone appears well and they pass unexpectedly, or in contrast they look really unwell and live much longer than expected.

  As a team, we are never left to cope alone, and likewise we don’t leave families at the time they need us the most. We keep talking with the families, building natural empathy and being that caring person for everyone, an extension of that family.

  Working remotely can be challenging, but with the pandemic everyone has been in a similar situation. In some ways, we have been able to cope better due to the support at the main office.

• What would you say to someone who is thinking of working for us or why would you recommend working here?

  Working here gives you a real sense of achievement, you feel proud to be part of the team. As soon as I walked into the office, it was so friendly and welcoming, it just felt right. And it still feels like that now.

  It’s a relaxed but productive environment, so come along and see for yourself.

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