As a Hampshire based Live-in Care agency celebrating 25 years of business, it is fair to say that Access Care have tailored their service to be as efficient and effective as possible. The journey from Client Request to Live-In Carer selection is a complex one, with different departments working in harmony to communicate each step as it happens, with the end result always being focused on one thing; providing the right home carer for the client.
As Booking Consultants, our role requires us to liaise with the 300+ Live-In carers registered with us and to select, from those 300+, the carer we feel is the perfect fit for our client.
The process of selecting that perfect home carer starts with the simplest and most logical step. Advertising the booking on the weekly email we send out to all of our registered carers which gives them an opportunity to identify those bookings they particularly connect with and to come forward to be presented to their ideal clients. We then make sure they have all the relevant experience and, where possible, some shared interests before we consider them for that booking.
In the event that time is of the essence, we often do things the other way round. We review all our available home carers and match their experience, character and interests before asking them if they want to be presented to the client.
However we reach a decision on possible carers, we don’t proceed until we’ve had a meeting with the Client Relations team to agree our selections. They know our clients better than anyone, speaking with them on a regular basis and communicating their interests and preferences.
Once we are in agreement, we go ahead and present our choices to the client and request a response at their convenience. This is a crucial stage in the process. The client requires time to invest in this selection, it’s so important to get it right! In the meantime, our self-employed Live-In carers are keen to secure work, often coming forward for more than one booking to increase their chances. It’s important to allow this part of the journey to run its course, lest a client making a snap decision, or a carer feel pressured to select a booking they don’t feel is right for them.
There is no science to how long it takes to choose a home carer. We like to follow up in 2-3 days, but sometimes in can take weeks. Every client is different. And, therefore, carers will wait for anything from that 2-3 days to much more to hear whether they have been selected, imagine the anticipation!
A client selecting a home carer is the best feeling! Being able to call that carer to tell them they have a booking, knowing that the client has selected someone they feel comfortable having in their homes and caring for them, and knowing we’ve done our job is a great.
However long the process, and however long the waiting game might take to play out, it ends with that one thing we focus on - the right carer for our client.
If you would like to arrange a live-in carer, please contact one of our friendly Live-in care experts on 01264 319399 or email hello@access-care.co.uk