Care company with home in Inverness launches special package to avert staffing crisis
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A MAJOR care home operator is taking action to avert a staffing crisis in the wake of Covid.
Renaissance Care which owns 60-bed Kingsmills Care Home and 15 others across Scotland, has responded to staff exhaustion following the pandemic.
The company plans to turn the care sector “on its head and set a high benchmark for what the industry will look like for years to come”.
This involved a full cultural review and a minimum five per cent pay rise.
The move comes after two years of staff being at the front line in the fight against Covid.
The group, which employs 1200 people, is reviewing the culture, working practice, and its health and wellbeing offering across the board, as it responds to rising resignations.
Renaissance Care managing director Louise Barnett stressed that there is no staffing issues with Kingsmills’ 100 staff.
She said: “We have a really loyal staff there who have worked so well during the pandemic under Carmen Trinos. Some of our other homes are not so fortunate.”
She said that extra costs would not be passed on to clients but come out of the recruitment budget.
Renaissance staff will have new benefits including flexible working, a pay review, and a health and wellbeing package.
In response to feedback around long shifts, which have historically been 12 hours as industry standard, Renaissance Care will offer staff flexible working based on individual requirements.
The health and wellbeing package includes free access to danceSing fitness classes saving individuals £400 per year.
Mrs Barnett said: “Staff retention and recruitment across the care industry is a massive issue after the pandemic. It is no shock that staff, who have had an incredibly difficult two years, would consider changing careers.
“We need to modernise the offering for care staff and ensure that they can remain dedicated to delivering the best quality care while having a work life balance that allows a career around family and personal life.”
n Renaissance Care hopes to build a garden pavilion in Kingsmills’ grounds, giving an additional 20 beds. A planning application has been submitted to Highland Council.
According to the design statement accompanying the application, planning permission was given in 2011 for an extension to the current building and the pavilion is proposed on the same site.
