Helen Whately MP, Minister of State for Care, paid a visit to Peartree Care Home in Sydenham, where she engaged in conversations about the future career opportunities within the field of social care. Peartree was also delighted to welcome Heather Hughes, Assistant Director for Complex Care & Learning Disability from Lewisham Council/ SEL ICB (Lewisham).
Minister Helen Whately was given a tour of the home, warmly greeting the people who live and work at Peartree Care Home. The Minister also spent time joining the people who live at the care home, chatting to people as they enjoyed arts and crafts, and joining them in a physiotherapy session. Everyone was delighted to meet the Minister and seized the opportunity to share their insights into life within a care facility. Relatives who were present on the day also had the chance to engage in conversations with Minister Helen Whately and gain a deeper understanding of how this announcement will positively impact their loved ones.
On the day of her visit, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Skills for Care jointly unveiled the Care Workforce Pathway initiative. During her visit, Minister Helen Whately extensively discussed the recent announcement and how these plans will strengthen the prospects of care workers and the trajectory of their careers. The key components of this initiative include the establishment of a national career framework for the adult social care workforce and an injection of over £75 million in additional funding. This funding is intended to support individuals in obtaining new qualifications through various courses and apprenticeship programmes.
Members of the Peartree team enthusiastically shared their thoughts on the announcement with Minister Helen Whately. They expressed their passion for the work they do and their optimism for how this investment will strengthen their team and inspire more individuals to consider pursuing a career in the care sector.
Sam Manning, Chief Operating Officer of Excelcare, expressed her delight, stating, "We were honoured to host Minister Whately at Peartree Care Home and gain insights into the upcoming career prospects for the adult social care workforce. Every team member working in the Excelcare family makes a profound difference in people's lives each day. We believe every career should present opportunities to learn and grow, so learning more about the newly announced support plan aimed at enhancing the skills of our team members and encouraging fresh talent to join the sector is truly exciting for us."