Care agency Ocala is on a mission to help care providers deliver outstanding care, whilst enhancing care workers employment with real living pay. Supporting care homes across Suffolk, Ocala provides highly skilled and trained care staff to ensure they can continue to deliver a high-quality service.
Directors, Adam Storey and Samantha Cage have worked in agency care since 2009, which has helped them gain first-hand experience and knowledge within the industry.
The pair also built extensive experience through being recruiters, domiciliary care coordinators, and care managers, which has enabled them to understand the importance of providing agency care that is reliable, consistent and top quality. Ocala Healthcare is the vehicle in which those values are put, in the hopes of inspiring similar organisations to put people before profit.
“Our experience in the sector has helped Sam and I to really appreciate aspects of the industry that we love, but we were also able to identify many components that we believe should be changed. One of the most fundamental aspects being people should be put before profit,” says Adam.
He continues: “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into ensuring Ocala is a company that people want to work for - so it’s an attractive place to be. Being a carer really is an exceptional job to have, but sadly, for many it’s underpaid – so we wanted to rectify that.”
All of Ocala’s staff receive a real living wage set out by the Living Wage Foundation as a minimum, rather than the national living wage, so they know they’re well appreciated.
Ocala also offers carers a flexible working pattern, where they are able to accept or reject shifts to suit their lifestyle. “We pride ourselves on good communication, so we don’t mind however many shifts carers are unable to do, all that matters is they turn up with a great mindset and positive attitude to the shifts they have agreed to,” says Adam.
Although a career in care work is rewarding, it doesn’t come without its challenges. Adam and Samantha have therefore worked hard to instil family values that run strong throughout Ocala, which allows the team to operate in a supportive and coherent way.
It is important for the duo that each and every carer and client understands that they are more than just a number, and that they feel like part of an environment that encourages their growth and cares about their happiness.
To promote a positive working environment, Ocala Healthcare promotes honest feedback to highlight areas which are working well, as well as areas which may need a little more attention. They also run several events throughout the year to promote team building and to show appreciation for their staff, including Christmas parties and summer events.
Samantha says: “The care industry is a hugely rewarding sector to be a part of, and we really want to reflect that through Ocala. There are also very few other careers that enables you to make a big difference to people’s lives every day. Each time a carer meets a client, they have the opportunity to brighten their day, and to have a positive impact on their life.
“We want to ensure that our carers know that they are fully accountable for making these interactions as enjoyable and productive as possible.”
Ocala is currently recruiting staff to join the friendly team of carers, who are kind, caring and compassionate, and who have a minimum of six months experience within the care industry. Full training will be given, to ensure new starters will be equipped with all the skills, knowledge and experience needed to lead a fulfilling career within the industry.
All training will also be face-to-face and will not include eLearning, to ensure staff gain real-life, first-hand training. For more information, please visit www.ocalahealthcare.co.uk or www.facebook.com/ocalahealthcare.
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