Seckford Care, Where Award-Winning Teamwork is at the Heart of Resident Care and Support
We spoke with Cassie Parratt, Registered Manager at Seckford Care. Cassie shared with us her thoughts on the care sector in Suffolk, her team’s recent Suffolk Care Award win in 2023, and her hopes for the future. We have been privileged to share so much of Seckford Care’s journey, and they are a true testament to the positive outcomes that are achieved by going the extra mile.
About Seckford Care
Seckford are a large team, including all roles such as Care support staff, Housekeeping, Maintenance and Catering. Every person is important to the success of Seckford and examples are shown every day where a member of the team (regardless of their role) goes the extra mile, is thoughtful in their approach and caring in their attitude.
The team have achieved Outstanding CQC ratings for many years, most recently for Jubilee House in 2022, which again demonstrates and evidences how successful they are as a team. Their most recent satisfaction survey achieved 100% which is an amazing achievement and a very low staff turnover, and long staff tenure. Those who have left, have gone on to progress in their careers within the sector, for example being a nurse, a pharmacy manager, a paramedic or work until their retirement.
What did winning the Large Team of the Year award mean to you and your team?
Winning this award is so important to our team, as it is true recognition of the continued efforts of the team as a whole. The award endorses and validates our practices and to me, the fact it was the whole team highlights the importance of teamwork and team spirit regardless of your role.
Every single person at Seckford Care has a part to play in on a daily basis, from the gardeners and housekeepers through to care support staff, who are all vital in providing exceptional care services.
Being a good team is a collective, and there is a true sense of pride in being part of this team. The team constantly set a high bar for themselves, and are astounding in even superseding that level, constantly striving to achieve excellence in care.
How do you support your team with professional development?
From the point of recruitment, we gain a strong understanding of each candidate’s existing skills, and then work together to plan an individual induction programme. This helps engage candidates early in their journey with us, and also helps us tailor their career path in accordance with their goals and aspirations.
We identify opportunities for people to undertake accredited training and qualifications, but also importantly support constant on the job learning and development, for which we feel there is no substitute.
It’s also important to provide opportunities for people to progress in areas of interest and expertise. We have a range of champion roles, and people can apply internally for those champion roles, undertake training and development to carry out that role and embed the practice in the organisation.
Career progression in the care sector is more than just providing and undertaking mandatory training and qualifications, but being proactive and agile in recognising the needs of the people we are supporting at that time and in the future. It’s also vital that teams understand the context of their skills and how to apply them, and why they are important in recognising and meeting the needs of those they are supporting.
We are passionate about the way we help people to learn, and everyone learns differently, so we are responsive to those individual needs.
What other opportunities have Care Development East provided? How have you worked together in the past?
We are part of the Registered Managers’ Forum, which provides information, updates, learning opportunities, peer support, sharing best practice.
Care Development East has provided access to training and, most importantly, they work with us and our colleagues via feedback to ascertain which training would be most beneficial to us. They provide us with the opportunity to be part of a wider network, which means we can holistically represent the needs of the local and regional care sector.
What challenges do you think the care sector is currently facing?
Recruitment and retention across the sector presents a significant challenge, getting the right people to fulfil the care needs of patients and residents. Which is why we are constantly looking at our benefits and opportunities to help staff feel valued and engaged in their career, beyond just salary.
What makes working in the care industry so special?
The people that we have the opportunity to provide care and support to are what makes working in this industry so special. It is genuinely a privilege to meet people with such varied backgrounds and experiences. You never ever stop learning from the people you meet, their backgrounds and experiences, and because every single individual has exacting needs, you’ll never stop learning.
The people we work with make the job wonderful, and working in care has completely enriched my life across my career. It truly is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do.