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Extra Hands needs extra hands to meet growing demands
ONE of East Anglia's leading home care companies is set to expand its operation to meet growing demand in Norfolk and beyond.
Extra Hands, of Heacham, has been providing quality home care support since 1993 through local authority and private contracts, and has recently strengthened its frontline team to extend its top-rated three-star "excellent" service, awarded by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
Company founders and directors Hazel and David Evans have appointed long-time care professional Anita Walter as managing director, to sustain these high standards while growing the business with its 200-strong workforce of professionally trained home care workers, co-ordinators and support staff.
The couple started the company with a vision of providing quality care, to enable people with wide-ranging illness and mobility problems to maintain an independent lifestyle within their own homes or a familiar environment. Mrs Walter, married with three grown-up children, has been a social care professional for nearly two decades, and worked for many years with Norfolk County Council before joining Extra Hands in 1999 as care manager.
In her new role she is determined to boost public awareness of the company generally and of its well-established training centre at its Heacham HQ.
"Currently we undertake a great deal of contract work for local authorities.
"However, change is underway and in future we expect to be working much more closely with individual clients and their families.
They will control their own budget, either privately or through Norfolk County Council, which will allocate a personalised budget or direct payments to assist with the cost of care.
"By working directly with clients, we are able to meet their own individual requirements which can be for practical or social support, for anything from personal care to housework, walking the dog or social outings."
Extra Hands places high emphasis on proper staff training. Home Support workers undergo a rigorous recruitment procedure, which includes Criminal Records Bureau checks and formal induction training leading to professional NVQ level 2 qualifications in care. In addition, the in-house training department provides many specialist courses in subjects such as dementia, palliative care and medication support, all increasingly important in an ageing population.
"These courses are also available to individuals wishing to update or expand their care skills," adds Mrs Walter. "We also work in partnership with The College of West Anglia, which assists us in achieving our standards at all levels."
Extra Hands, has offices at Heacham, Holt and Horsham St Faith on the north Norwich outskirts. Contact Anita Walter at the Heacham head office (tel: 01485 570611).
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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