Rose's Story (Care Coordinator to Business Development Officer):
After joining Bluebird Care Southampton in 2017 as a care supervisor with many years of care experience in nursing homes & community care. As a supervisor, I would be the first point of contact for customer enquiries. I would support new starters by arranging weekly supervisions to ensure they settled into their roles well and carry out risk assessments/write up care plans for new customers. I progressed into a care coordinator role, responsible for organising the rosters and ensuring calls were always covered. Most recently, I was the acting deputy manager for the Southampton team and would oversee the branch's day-to-day running. I have now stepped into the role of Business Development Officer, predominantly supporting branches in ensuring all enquiries are followed up, and that branch coordinators are managing their hours correctly. It is a great feeling to know that I'm trusted with a big role within the business. I am grateful to the team for their belief in me.
Kerry's Story (Care Assistant to Team Leader)
My name is Kerry and I have worked for Bluebird for 7 years. I came to Bluebird after having children and becoming a private carer for a gentleman. Sadly he passed away and realising that this was the career I wanted, I started to look for another role in care. I came to Bluebird after looking at other car companies as I found them to be the best organised and had the best reviews and I wanted to work for a well-respected company.
A typical day for me would be to either deliver care for our clients in their homes or if I am not doing this I will be in the office developing care plans and completing risk assessments. I go to visit customers to do reviews of care and check that all is going well for them. I answer the phones and communicate with customers and various other health professionals.
I find my job very rewarding, especially when you can make a difference to a customer's day.
If I were to give advice for anyone starting care for the first time I would say go ahead and try it. Be passionate and patient, be prepared to learn on the go and never be afraid to ask if you are unsure.