A company is nothing without the people – this rings true for most organisations but especially in the care sector. All of our staff, from Head Office support to kitchens teams, carers to nurses, are the beating heart of the service we offer. But it’s no secret that the care sector struggles to attract and retain talent.
In order for the social care sector to perform as it should and its workforce to be respected and esteemed, it is vital that our own people also feel valued. And that goes beyond wages and salaries.
Staff need to be appreciated and rewarded for their work and provided with equitable access to training opportunities to develop them into being the best they can regardless of their entry level into the profession. For nurses especially, training and development is something we’ve heavily invested in at MMCG.
A career not a stop gap
Working in the care sector is incredibly rewarding but has its challenging moments – so it’s vital to bring on board the right people in the first place. Once we have the right people on board, we have to demonstrate that it’s not a ‘stop gap’ we offer fantastic careers in every role within the business.
MMCG creates a work environment which is regarded as a fulfilling and potentially life-long career, furnished with real opportunity to achieve. We’ve had staff go from laundry assistants all the way up to home manager after spotting potential.
Career paths for nurses in social care
Career development is most evident in our Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) roles, in which carers can work and train to become fully qualified nurses and beyond.
As a TNA with MMCG, staff study towards their nursing associate qualification whilst continuing as a valued member of a care home. This blended method enables TNAs to apply their academic learning in a practical way so they can support the nurses on duty in the care home environment. This hybrid nature of the programme has ensured that TNAs still experience the significant in-person interactions that many students will have missed out on during the coronavirus pandemic.
MMCG ensures that trainees can apply their newfound knowledge by shadowing a qualified nurse in the care home. Under supervision, TNAs help and support experienced nurses in the homes by helping to develop care plans, make beds and help administer medication, among other tasks. The combination of academic study and on the job learning experience is truly invaluable.
And we’ve seen great success from the TNA programme already. Jo Stokes, started her career with us as a carer. Jo became a Nursing Associate through the apprenticeship programme at MMCG and went on to be made Nursing Associate Ambassador by Health Education England and win an HEE regional award. She is now studying the RN top up to become a fully qualified registered nurse.
We currently have an overseas Nursing recruitment drive which has proved very successful, we have employed over 100 nurses and supported them through OSCE training to gain their NMC PIN number in UK. This is a very successful pathway for us, this has been demonstrated and is being led by our Chief Nursing Officer Anna Masheter. Anna herself joined MMCG in 2010, and has progressed from Nurse to Deputy Manager, to Home Manager, to Clinical Development Nurse, to Specialist Nurse Consultant, and is now in her current senior post of Chief Nursing Officer.
Career Development is something we are passionate about, ensuring everyone who works with us have opportunities to be the best they can. We offer career pathways for each role, ensuring colleagues have the correct knowledge, experience and behaviours.
