Celebrating the graduation of our new Care Practitioners at Hartford Care

Hartford Care has recently celebrated the graduation of several employees who have undertaken our internal Care Practitioner Development Programme.

Congratulations go to our new Care Practitioner graduates, Harold Santiago at Bethel House in Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, Michelle Thomas at Springfield Nursing Home in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, and Jennifer Harrison and Aleksandra Kraus at The Elms in Bembridge, Isle of Wight.

Their graduations come after Hartford Care launched a trial of its bespoke Care Practitioner Programme at Highfield Nursing Home in Ryde, Isle of Wight, in April 2019, with two care assistants graduating as Care Practitioners.

The eight-month programme was then reviewed and rolled out at the start of this year to three further homes in the Hartford Care family. The next cohort is due to be rolled out to a further four homes in January 2021.

Hartford Care’s Care Practitioner Development Programme consists of workshops, coursework, competency assessments and reflective practice, with the opportunity to undertake a formal qualification at the end.

A range of topics are covered, including undertaking clinical observations, infections and sepsis, acute medical conditions, hydration catheter and stoma care and advanced medication management.

It also features a series of leadership topics such as getting the best out of individuals and teams, and having difficult conversations. As a result of coronavirus, the majority of the programme this year has been delivered using technology as well as virtual workshops.

The development programme was designed to ensure residents, who live in Hartford Care homes,  continue to receive high-quality care and support from knowledgeable and professional staff with more in-depth knowledge in particular areas, as well as providing a new career pathway for team members.

Commenting on the programme, Leah-Marie Smith, Hartford Care’s HR Director said: “I am delighted to congratulate and celebrate with our recent Care Practitioner Programme graduates, who have all worked so hard to complete the programme and take up their new roles. We are looking forward to rolling the development programme out to more homes in the Hartford Care family in the coming months.”

Please visit Hartford Care’s Careers Page to find out more about the career development we offer and the roles that are currently available at our homes.