registered nurse

peripatetic nurse

home care nurse

senior care assistant

care assistant

Barchester Healthcare

Having worked for Barchester for 4 years, I can say the 1st year was enjoyable but once that Manager left it all went down hill very quickly.
I worked on the Memory Lane Community, it was such a lovely Community to work on, all Staff, Residents and Families were very close - this was the main reason for me not leaving earlier.

I will review the main points I think let this company down:
Management - this is both in house Management and Higher Managers (Regional etc) they make me so furious, if you are privileged enough to have them come out of their Office and visit your Community/Unit then all you get is constant bashing and criticism, they don't both focusing on the good or praising their Staff, Staff moral was always low and we never got incentives or anything extra for constantly picking up shifts. Often I'd do 9 days on the run to stop Agency usage as it wasn't fair on the Residents and I was made to feel so guilty or you'd get the silent treatment for God knows how long.
There has been several General Managers since the original one I was taken on under, he was lovely but since then they have been horrendous - worse than that actually.
I've been swore at via phone call, I've been brought in the Office over very personal matters and told to "get over it", when pregnant and bleeding at work I was told if I didn't phone around for staff cover that I couldn't go to the Emergency Maternity Triage to see what was wrong and when I phoned in sick during pregnancy due to lots of things going on, I was called a liar and got countless "huffs" and "sighs" down the phone as if I think it's fun to be ill constantly (baring in mind before pregnancy I'd had around 2 sick days in 3 years).
Over my 4 years of working here, I have also reported very serious things and been met with blank stares, sighs and comments such answer "but it's Friday" which is absolutely disgusting. One matter in which has escalated a lot and wouldn't have if I had been taken seriously.
They also let bullying occur, despite it being reported and being witnessed by other people, they love to sweep stuff under the carpet unless you are a close friend of a Manager.

The Company Itself - they had decided to shut our Memory Lane Community down this year, very upsetting time for Residents, Families and ourselves - we were devastated. We got called into a meeting and had a guess at what was happening (another Unit on our Site had closed just 6 months earlier) and we got told the devastating news, we were assured this would take as long as it needed to help the Residents transition into their new Homes and make the rights decisions as to where they would be moving to. Low and behold, this was all lies. We were told no redundancies would be made until the last Resident left, after around 3 weeks Staff were washing their own pots between meals, without any training on the chemicals or industrial size dish washers, also doing our own cleaning and constantly chasing up laundry as Residents often had only Pajamas to wear during the day - all of this because they had made Staff redundant early and remaining Staff couldn't meet the demand. After being told they could have as long as they needed, notices to families were served and the rush was on to get the Residents out, this was extremely upsetting for everybody involved and soon Families were just choosing where ever had beds. The Company has no heart, no feeling and not a care in the world (so it seems).

Staffing Levels - this has always been a problem, they have no issues leaving you short staffed and sitting in their office oblivious whilst Care Staff and RGNS run around like headless chickens.
They have often left us on such short staffing levels people have had to stay in bed so we know they're safe, people have fallen because we couldn't be in the communal areas watching them and that people have actually received their meals and hour later because we are still getting people out of bed at 12pm.

Overall, for me, it was a very negative experience. 
The "big" bosses need to come out of their "big castle" and see what Care Staff do, the people actually keeping them in a job because without Care Staff and Residents, they wouldn't have a business.
8am-8pm shifts for minimum wage is an insult if you saw the stuff we had to do, it's just not right. Often I'd go 5 12 hour shifts without a break, it's just wrong!!!!

Beware, do not work here unless you are willing to watch neglect and abuse on a regular basis towards residents. 

Worked here for 10 months and it was honestly some of the worst and longest months of my life. Poor staff, poor management and nobody really seemed to give a care for the residents we were supposed to be looking after. Well, maybe that's unfair, quite a few staff cared but were not supported or given enough staff to ever be able to provide the level of care they'd like to. So many problem with this care home I don't even know where to begin. 

Some long term staff hanging on purely because they were friendly with management when in reality should have been sacked years ago. Tyrants who would just expect agency staff to know what to do although they'd never worked there before. Shouting at customers for asking to go to the toilet and then shouting and terrorising them when trying to leave the toilet because they'd forgotten they even needed. Hoisting residents by themselves despite it being made clear this was not allowed and should never be done. Senior care staff regularly telling other staff not to bother changing residents or not to bother giving them their snack as they'd be fine. Bulling other members of their team and making an already stressful environment even worse. 
Late shift would start putting residents to bed as soon as they started so their evening was easy and they didn't need to be so busy in the evening and could sit down and watch the other unit which is on the same floor struggle. 

Unit nurses belittling and bullying staff and despite multiple complaints to management from almost all care assistants working under them, nothing ever done about it. Constantly telling staff off for not doing things that they never knew they were supposed to be doing yet acting as if you were an annoyance for asking for help. 

I can't even believe now that when I moved to my new job I was amazed that the residents got showered daily, don't think some of the residents at ochil even got a shower or bath once a month. 

Were expected to get 28 customers up in an hour and a half to 2 hours with only 4 staff, 5 if we were lucky and boy did we have to fight for that 5th member of staff. 

Managers would regularly change shifts the day before and not tell you, heck I did and early shift once and on my way out double checked I was on a late shift the next day and then next morning I got a phonecall asking where I was as I 'should be on the early'

Place is an honest to god joke and should be shut down the level of care is shocking.

Must add this is only the two upstairs units, Memory Lane and Glendevon were a dream to work in, with supportive nurses and cooperating caring staff.

The role in itself is straightforward and enjoyable and the training informative and thorough. I particularly liked that all staff regardless of role have to complete dementia training as part of their induction. 

The pay rates are competitive to similar roles in the industry and the organisation often rewards staff members with various payments throughout the year which is appreciated considering the dedication colleagues regularly demonstrate whilst at work. 

Expectations are rightfully high of the staff team in this private care home; However, oftentimes can be unrealistic in accordance to the service users needs and demands in addition to daily/hourly record keeping requirements placed upon care workers and the senior team when compared to the minimal staff numbers which are determined by the Barchester staffing ratio which although in theory is adequate is far from that in practise when working in the very demanding social care environment. 

On top of the core care requirements seniors are expected to complete many additional tasks which would be carried out by nurses in any other setting r.e. Medication administration, ordering, monitoring/audits, injury management etc which for those able and experienced is no problem but again the staffing ratio of an almost full 60 bed home and having one senior member of staff per floor (2) and often again one over both floors can make for an extremely difficult 12 hour shift having to manage service users and staff teams who are working to within an ounce of their entire being inevitably leads to things being missed and valuable 1:1 person centred care being cut short for those being cared for. 

On balance when the home is considered as being hideously “overstaffed” according to barchester (realistically adequate to the rest of us) the care delivered can be exceptional and those living at Crandon can receive the 5 star experience they deserve and expect. The care staff have the time and energy to deliver care and support without the pressure of numerous bells and buzzes on their pagers, getting to know the residents and empowering them to love as independently as possible. Activities can then be carried out and enjoyed by more individuals who aren’t perhaps as independent as others. Meal times can run smoothly and residents feel less tense as a result. Medication rounds can be completed in a timely manner and then necessary checks and reviews finished as required online with CQC expectations. 

It is my hope that there will be improvement in the above mentioned criticisms although it’s unlikely given the current state of the social care sector which is unfortunate for all involved. 

I've been at Barchester for over 2 years and I've never felt more demoralised at a workplace. Management (when it's present) expects miracles from everybody without even so much as a thank you in return - 10 to 12 hour shifts sometimes 5 to 6 days in a row on top of being called in on your days off and pressured to work extra time because so many of the staff call in sick as they don'´t want to work where they're being treated like idiots. I feel bad for the care staff that are constantly asked to come in on weekends on top of being asked to work both day and night shifts BACK to BACK and how ungrateful the company is in return.

The training is a joke and is only there to cover their own backs if something happens - and they will blame it on you first chance they get. You are expected to put aside your private life and time for them whenever they want to while being talked to by management as if they couldn't care less if you left and you aren't needed. At a staff meeting a manager told us "Don't think youre irreplaceable, every single one of you are" and this was at a meeting with our manager to work on the already terrible work morale!!!! 

There are no free meals and if you are caught eating from leftovers, youre lucky if you only get disciplined. 

Some co-workers are lovely, while others not so much. But I cant blame them when working at a place like this turns people bitter and unhappy and will take it out at whatever when theyre working - stealing, backstabbing, constant bickering - all while management insist that theyre listening to the staff. Since I started working there, more than half of the staff has left the job - at one point we had a leaver per week for a few months and with NO sign of management even trying to understand why people are unhappy and doing something about it! The worst part about it all is seeing how it actually affects the residents living there; the lack of care they receive because they have 2 people caring for 20+ residents, when they need to be washed, clothed, fed, etc is INSANE! And yet according to the work model we have to go by, it is the correct amount of staff...Poor residents dont get any alone time with the staff whatsoever, and it kills to watch the carers who obviously care for the residents, having to rush through each little job just so they can hurry onto the next whilst not being able to spend any time with them.

I could write an (even longer) essay about why working for them has been a nightmare but it honestly just makes me so mad thinking about that place so I'd rather go find something to cheer me up instead...

What is the best part of working at the company?
Nurse In Charge , l enjoyed my job role as l was able to share my valuable experience with other team members. The Home Manager at the time valued staff as a team , l was made to feel part of the community even though l lived far from the work place. There was full training and support offered to employees to meet the agreed ways of working. People who used the service were treated with dignity and respect. Nurses were always very professional and only talked about positive work content to improve the quality of services. Professional responsibility was main priority to maintain safety at work. The Home Manager (Acting) was very supportive and she had an open door policy. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There was no stressful part about the company , only staff relationships were poor but on aChristian value we always have excellent emotional intelligence 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
At the time l worked for this company, work environment and culture was brilliant. It was well diversified and people always felt valued by the company regardless of race , colour , creed , beliefs and orientations. The company had a very fair policy and valued people as individuals. The area Manager-at  the time was very supportive.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
At the time l worked for the company l had a disability that restricted me a lot but at work everything felt so normal like from home to home. There was always safe staffing, great staff skill mix , content service users.  It was more like a hotel setting. A day shift always ran so smooth from start to finish. Emergency situations were dealt with in a professional manner. Members of MDT and external professionals worked so well together with excellent communication skills. Staff sickness/absence did not affect the day to day running of the company as contingency plans were well laid out and effectively executed. I even missed work on my days off. There was no unnecessary stress during the shift as every staff knew their individual roles. Medication management was very effective and safe. Palliative care was provided with dignity and respect. There was a great staff skill mix at any one shift. Functional dementia unit was effectively managed and l never witnessed any unnecessary distress on the service users. This was a best place to work.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The residents are the best part of the work.
Leaving at the end of the shift is also the best part.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Lack of support, I have never worked somewhere that had zero management. Who is in charge? Who do you talk to when you need help? Who is on-call? There is a picture on the website, that's it. Unavailable, no communication. When residents health decline, noone wants to listen. Residents needs are not being met, and not for lack of carers concerns being raised, but for lack of follow through and accountability. There is noone to turn to. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The staff you work with will be your only life line. The lack of health and saftey- you will be lucky to find simple hygine products in the bathrooms, no soap or paper towels in communal and redisdents bathrooms and sluice rooms, food left out on the side uncovered for hours. Glove shortages monthly. Basic essentials required cannot be found. The culture is looking for someone to hear your concerns and not one person knows who that is. Your device is your priority, not the residents. If you are feeding/ providing personal care/ assisting a resident and there is a check required, you are expected to drop it and appease the device. Team Leader will shout at staff infront of residents, other staff and families. There is no confedentiality, if you tell the Team leader in confidence something private, then expect everyone to know.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Clock into work, expect no updates on residents, device is number 1 priority remember this your whole shift. Remember the on-call list has not been updated since the last manager was there over 9 months ago. When there is an emergency you don't know who to call, that is if there is no senior on shift which has happened more often than you would expect. It is possible that you may be expected to work on your own on a floor with residents who require the support of 2 staff, this includes using equiptment that is policy to be used with 2 staff, risking yourself and the resident in more ways than 1.

A joke to work here, getting told off for not doing things to barchester standards when you have had zero or little training. Some wings are grossly understaffed and sometimes you are expected to single man and perform all aspects of care for a whole wing by yourself and management don't care and still expect everything done as normal, all personal care done, meds done on time and sometimes EXTRA paperwork. Very catty culture where people not only inform but staff lie about people to their superiors to suck up and proven to be devious residents are trusted over hard working honest staff members that are getting thrown under the bus. Good staff often leave. Our food that we serve residents is meant to be 5 star but as carers we are often embarrassed to serve what the chef presents us with, especially since our manager made him cut costs and food quality severely. Our residents aren't allowed crisps or chocolate, we have to beg for juice, ice cream, yoghurt.......when I came to interview I was impressed with how barchester supposedly operate but I've come to realise its a facade at least in my home. We had a residents meeting where every resident complained about the food and how awful it was and that they pay a lot of money and get served "slop" and our manager would not pass that information  on and requested that we do another meeting to get different answers with themselves and the chef there which seemed like they would be there with the chef so that residents were less likely to complain about the food. Absolute joke. The activities team are supposed to sort out activities, but often it is left to the understaffed wings to supply a carer to do activities with residents even though some wings are at breaking point  staff wise and there is usually other jobs that need doing. I have personally single manned on a wing that had 15 residents at the time,  seven of whom needed full personal care and help with toileting. Others had different afflictions or mobility issues. All residents needed meds, 3 meals a day serving etc etc and I don't think that's a safe level of staffing.

All the care, kitchen, laundry and cleaning staff are good. Welcoming not at all clicky a good multicultural base all work well with each other.  
Lots of full time staff (not a lot of agency workers) so all know the clients and their needs well. 
Now negatives:-
Despite the company promoting NVQ and lots of training managers will not put you forward for any other than the ones that are required by law eg manual handling food hygiene chemical safety etc
Not enough gloves/wipes/pads even through PPE is still free, often run out and expected to work regardless of cross contamination or any rules then go out of the window. 
They have really good staff and then they reduced the amount of staff required per shift. So the service users/clients are not given quality time just the bare minimum to get their personal care done although the staff engage with the client whilst getting ready it’s become more like a conveyor belt with one particular nurse constantly belittling your efforts trying to rush each moment of work you do. 
I will say again the staff are good workers not lazy but love to give good quality care. The client/service users pay between £1200-£2000 per week! And we no longer have time to do their hair answer buzzers two cares to 14 service users who are mostly doubles. 
Not regular hot water to shower/bathe wash pots or laundry. Broken beds washers bath’s toilets geezer toasters etc lack of regular full time kitchen staff so cares/cleaners/laundry have to go in kitchen to do cooking kitchen porter roles their by take staff from their paid job off the floor to fill in the kitchen. 
When all the roles are filled and everyone is doing their own job with enough staff 6 x staff  to 25 residents (still hard work) but everyone gets their care, staff get their breaks and it’s a lovely place it’s just those days have become so few it’s really not worth staying. 

I worked at Chalfont Lodge Nursing Home as part of an apprenticeship programme which I didn't even get signed onto the programme, I soon realised after working on admin for around 6 weeks that this clearly wasn't a proper job and it was more 'santa's little helper work.' It didn't help the fact the person I had to report to to find work each day was miserable and depressing and let alone the fact my job was always going to be at risk because of how I was treated there from the select few members of staff who were supposed to be mentoring me, the small mistakes I made I was hoping to gain tips and information from staff as I I'm 17 and working with Barchester Healthcare as an apprentice was my first real job, the way the staff treated me was uneceptable and the people I was working with on a daily basis were inept and showed no skill with being reasonable with me, originally the apprenticeship was as a care assistant and I believe before the recruitment lady changed my job position at the home THREE times I knew afterwards that I regret being part of the company and although I was sacked and put out of my misery, this was because the management and my support working with the company  was absolutely terrible throughout the 2 months, I shocked to come onto this website to see there is a vacant job in administration as it is not a proper job if there are other staff already doing the job there at the moment, it says a lot about the management and the poor recruitment management as part of the home, unless you want to work in care/maintainence/housekeeping e.g DO NOT WORK in administration at Chalfont Lodge Nursing Home, terrible start for my career especially as an apprentice.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Registered nurse 54 salaries reported	£21.89 per hour
Peripatetic nurse 1 salary reported	£22.37 per hour
Home care nurse 5 salaries reported	£23.00 per hour
Senior care assistant 10 salaries reported	£14.30 per hour
Care assistant 20 salaries reported	£13.71 per hour

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