Former Nurse Turns ‘Undercover Boss’ In Efforts To Improve Care Quality
A former nurse has turned ‘undercover boss’ in an attempt to improve quality and standards in care homes.
Sathi Raghavan, who worked as a registered nurse and midwife in both India and the UK before establishing her own business in the sector works shifts in homes to check care quality and suggest improvements.
The founder of Millennium Staffing which supplies staff to care homes, hospitals and other healthcare settings across the West Midlands joins care home teams and works alongside her staff who are oblivious she’s, their boss.
Sathi said: “It all started when I was working as a nurse in a care home and got fed up with agency staff coming in, many of whom refused to carry out the tasks they were needed to do to provide the best care.
“That’s what led me to set up my own specialist employment business. And when I got my very first call from a care home asking for shift cover that evening, I rang the small team I’d recruited, and no-one was free.
“So, I put on a uniform and turned up and worked the shift. It gave me the opportunity to really understand the home, how the team works, their procedures and care levels so it’s something I’ve done ever since.
“I spend one or two days with all new homes so I can prepare and train my staff to meet the exact needs of that home, everything from the home layout to the full variety of tasks they should be willing and able to do.”
And last month Sathi joined a care home night shift at 1am with agreement from the manager to shadow the team and watch her staff perform through the night and into handover.
She said: “I love it and it’s really inciteful. Not just as a way of seeing the team first hand but also at bringing an outside perspective and a chance to suggest ways for a home to improve its care and safeguarding.”
And her undercover missions have led to improvements across multiple homes including improved CQC inspection outcomes and using her medical background to improve care plans.
She has also suggested changes to staffing levels to improve care quality even if this means her staff are no longer needed.
Sathi added: “As a nurse I want to deliver the best care possible, so I’m personally invested in every care home and every resident. And that extends to my team.”
Now providing nurses, care and kitchen assistants, social workers, and other staff to care homes, hospitals and social care providers Millennium staffing has grown from Sathi on that first shift to almost 400 employees in under three years.
For further information visit www.millenniumstaffing.co.uk
