If you’re a client or candidate; we hope this short article provides an insight to why you should consider speaking to us when the need arises. This piece demonstrates how engaging, professional, ethical and passionate we are about our business.
The piece incorporates a succinct yet factual interview with a longstanding client of ours, who has worked in the industry for over 20 years as a Senior Director working within a hiring capacity. Their informal yet insightful interview clearly outlines why you should consider working with us in the future. It also highlights their concerns about the sector, what the future holds and what they would like to see changed.
Why should you choose Keystone Care?
Additionally, what makes us ‘stand out’ from our competitors? When asked this direct question, it was obvious why we have such a good working relationship with this particular client.
“I have known the senior members of the team of Keystone Care for 5 years now and was keen to work with Keystone Care from its early inception. I always receive a very professional response in a very timely manner. I am always given an update of the progress of the search, something Keystone Care is particularly good at.”
An honest approach to recruitment is one of our key strengths, this is clearly reinforced by a point about very technical job requirements or where candidates are particularly scarce. “I am told early on in the process about the challenges of the job requirements. It is unfortunate that some of the larger agencies that work on my roles have a tendency to ‘hang onto’ recruitment briefs, even if there are not any candidates that have come up in their search.”
We pride ourselves on offering an individualised service; this clearly reinforced by this Senior Director. “The personalised service offered is extremely good, I always have a knowledgeable and experienced consultant at the end of the phone. One that has worked within the sector for a considerable amount of time.”
In a nutshell, it was stated that Keystone Care offer “a good quality service.”
Where and how do you source your candidates?
“I tend to work with very large, well-established agencies as well as Keystone Care, despite being a company in its infancy they ‘deliver’. They have worked on very senior permanent hires and interim positions. One of the major frustrations working with larger agencies is dealing with individuals who do not necessarily have the industry or market knowledge that I would expect. Keystone Care know exactly what I need, without having to go into much detail, thus saving me time and energy!”
What does the future hold in terms of recruitment needs?
“As we come out of the pandemic, it is apparent that there will be a demand for good Quality Managers who have strong regulatory knowledge as well as operational skills. There will be permanent and interim demands. Keystone care are well placed to respond to such recruitment needs.”
What are your overall concerns about the sector?
“Funding for the residential care sector is a major concern, the local authority fees vary considerably across the country. Funding for residential homes that are run by local authorities are seriously underfunded and therefore this should be addressed.”
The Department of Health & Social Care and Matt Hancock are under the spotlight, so to speak. We were keen to understand more about their views.
“I am hoping that the Health & Social Care becomes more ‘joined up’. More resource is required especially on the Social Care, for example when the elderly are released from hospital to recover from their illnesses. The homes they are then placed in to recover from those illnesses. However, services outside of the hospitals are seriously lacking funding, the integration between Health & Social Care needs to change. For years there has been talk of more integration, I would like to see this actually happen.”
Following the pandemic, what lessons can be learnt and how can we be better equipped?
There were two major areas that need to be addressed, ‘Protection & Test and Trace Systems’.
“It was evident that there was not enough protection for Care homes. Additionally, the ‘Test and Trace’ systems should have been handled on a local rather a national basis. It was evident that the local authorities that handled their own systems worked more efficiently and were able to react better.”
To reiterate this point, the Care Home Professional on the 17th July 2020 stated that analysis conducted showed that 16,000 of the 25,000 people discharged to care homes between 17 March and 15 April were not tested. It is unfortunate that Government guidance until 15 April said testing was only required if patients being discharged had obvious symptoms.
