Every home – whether a care home or nursing home – needs a manager. Rather like a ship trying to sail without a rudder, a home will be aimless and may drift onto the rocks without someone with the ability to guide it.
A manager’s role is a vital one and sets the tone for the home’s ethos and standards. The manager is the figurehead for the home; as such, the position holds extreme importance in how the home is run and perceived by those who use its services and by the wider community.
The manger not only has to manage staff and resources, ensuring the home is run with efficiency while adhering to consistently high standards, but is also responsible for ensuring that the clients are as happy as they can be.
If you are thinking about applying for home manager jobs in Newcastle, you need to be aware of the skills and attributes that employers will be looking for.
Vital Role
Managing a home carries a huge amount of professional responsibility, which can also bring large rewards.
There are around 21,000 managers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulatory body in Britain. Although there is no professional statutory register for managers, CQC regulations expect managers to have a prescribed set of skills, to possess a health and social care leadership level 5 qualification, and preferably to have experience working in the sector.
It is a manager’s job to not only provide leadership for the home’s staff but also to make sure the home meets CQC quality standards at all times. It is therefore a role that demands a high level of skills and experience. What qualities make an effective home manager?
Necessary Skills
People skills are an obvious requirement. Being patient, approachable, friendly and naturally helpful is desirable and the ability to work with people from all walks of life on a daily basis is necessary, as the role requires speaking to a huge range of clients and experts. Excellent oral and written communication skills are other requirements.
The knowledge and ability to lead staff and to provide training when necessary is also a requirement, although it is not essential to have experience in the caring industry. People with backgrounds in other workplaces, such as customer services or hotel management, may also be suited to the position of home manager.
IT literacy is essential, as the job will entail varied computer use. The role is always changing; therefore, the ability to embrace change and be flexible in your approach is also a desirable asset.
Carer experience may not be essential, but in many cases it is desirable. As in most industries, working your way up from the ‘shop floor’ helps you to gain a better understanding of the different skills and roles and the common problems faced by staff and clients.
There are numerous home manager jobs in Newcastle. If you have the necessary qualities and skills, why not apply?