Caerphilly wants to champion social care heroes

THROUGHOUT the pandemic we have heard so many stories about Health Care heroes. Caerphilly Council wants to champion their very own Social Care heroes, working around the clock to visit the vulnerable to offer care and support through unprecedented times.

Staff from across the council’s service make a staggering 18,459 visits in just one month, these can vary from 15-minute appointments to those up to an hour depending on the needs of the individual.

They have had to react quickly to changes in guidance and adapt processes to ensure stringent rules are followed this includes the correct use of PPE and travelling in separate cars to visit clients, undertake training for new guidance, facilitate inductions for new staff remotely and significant changes to general working practices.

During a recent interview with the BBC, Seran Wady, Senior monitoring and Development Officer for Adult Services said,

“I am so proud of the team, they have shown great flexibility, dedication but most of all compassion, they have set aside their own worries and anxieties to support our clients and offer outstanding care and reassurance, our numbers have increased greatly, the demand is higher but they continue to turn up with a smile ready to get stuck in, cover extra shifts, support one and other and wrap their arms around the community, I am humbled to work alongside these heroes everyday!”

Cabinet Member with responsibility for Social Care, Cllr. Shayne Cook said:

“Our Social Care staff are truly unsung heroes, the care they provide is outstanding without all of the additional pressures and regulations that have been introduced at a rapid pace, without services like domiciliary care hospital patients could not return home, our staff are really at the heart of protecting the vulnerable and supporting them to return and remain to their own home even with complex medical needs. I would like to offer my most sincere thanks to each and every one of them.”

Andrew James, Carer added:

“It is a privilege to be working on the frontline to support people during the pandemic, the job is both challenging and rewarding and we are all facing our own struggles but we leave that at the door and try and remain positive and upbeat to deliver care, we know how much that means to people.”