Caring For Care Staff: Greensleeves Care’s Platinum Award

Broadlands, a Greensleeves Care home in Oulton Broad, has been awarded platinum Investors in People status at a time when care home staff across the UK need on-the-job support more than ever.

As the care industry is naturally focused on its service users, care staff and other colleagues can be easily overlooked when it comes to their own wellbeing at work.

However, studies have shown that care staff cannot effectively look after residents if they are not looking after themselves first and foremost.

This highlights the importance of accreditations such as Investors in People, as it allows an independent body to assess how well staff are supported, and in turn, how well they can go on to support the residents who rely on them.

The accreditation was given to the Greensleeves Care home following interviews with staff and residents as well as anonymous surveys and an in-person observation within the home.

Investors in People credits organisations that lead, support, and develop their workforces, and Broadlands not only achieved the highest possible award, but the home’s online survey score was higher than any other care home in the UK within the same size band.

The home’s low staff turnover was highlighted in the report as “extremely low, with 50% of your staff having been with you for 5 years or longer. 31% of those people had been with you 10 years or longer.”

Reducing the amount of staffing changes ensures a cohesive team within the home, as well as providing familiarity and routine for residents.

Other key indicators that resulted in the platinum award included excellent management, career progressions opportunities, and support during the COVID-19 lockdown periods.

The report stated: “People loved working at your home, and it was often brought up that the way that people were consistently recognised and appreciated was a stand-out feature of working at Broadlands.”

Broadlands’ Manager, Anne Maas, said about the award: “I am over the moon that Broadlands has achieved Platinum Investors in People status. Our staff work tirelessly and selflessly to give our residents the best quality care, so it’s lovely for them to have this wonderful recognition.”