Horizon aims to tackle Healthcare skills shortage

New qualification requirements and poor rates of pay are leading to a shortage of residential care and support workers in the region, according to an award-winning recruitment consultancy.

Horizon Healthcare, a division of Horizon Recruitment, is now looking to tackle the shortage by working closely with its healthcare providers.

The division, based in Regents Park House, Regent Street, Leeds, specialises in providing support workers to service users with learning disabilities and mental health problems, encouraging and supporting them to lead as independent a life as possible. In addition Horizon provide healthcare assistants to residential and nursing homes for the elderly.

Strict rules laid down by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), say that 50 per cent of any organisationís workers must now have or be working towards, by 2005, a recognised qualification in healthcare equivalent to NVQ Level 2. This applies to both permanent and temporary employees.

Susan Denvers, Horizon Healthcare manager, who runs the division with recruitment consultant Shelley Burton, believes that because of this and the often poor rates of pay, many people are turning their back on the profession.

She also says the gap needs to be filled quickly and wants to increase the divisionís pool of qualified staff in order to service its 250 clients.

ìWe are committed to providing the best in quality healthcare. Our clients include those with mild learning difficulties to those with extremely challenging behaviour. Because we work with well-known and reputable organisations we need to be able to recruit the right people and be able to provide personnel on a short or long term and permanent basis.

Horizon staff are able to choose their shift patterns to fit in with family or other work commitments and we provide workers to cover a variety of shift patterns including early, late, night and weekend working and we also provide staff to cover sleep overs.

ìWe have a very committed temporary workforce. Staff are made to feel they are part of a team and not just here as a ëtempí. We like to think we are approachable, friendly and professional.î

Susan, who has worked in recruitment for 25 years, added: ìWorking in partnership with the CSCI, and with some of our clients, we have implemented an extensive induction course, an annual moving and handling update and, in some cases, we can offer financial assistance with training.

ìWe are constantly introducing other industry related courses from which our workers will benefit. All staff are issued with certificates as proof of their training. We also offer competitive pay rates and, once qualified, we can give invaluable experience to those who may be considering mental health or psychiatric nursing as a career.î

From September, an arrangement has been made with a local college where Horizon staff can do NVQ Level 2 in Healthcare.

Shelly Burton, who has 14 years experience of working within the healthcare sector, will act as Horizonís NVQ assessor and will work closely with them in helping to achieve the qualification.

Horizon Healthcare provides a 24-hour service, seven days a week. It covers Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wetherby, Huddersfield, Calderdale, Dewsbury, Batley and Wakefield. All workers attend an in-depth interview with qualified staff. They are vigorously checked (including references and enhanced disclosure) and are issued with ID badges.

Anyone interested in working in healthcare should contact Horizon on 0113 223 7696.