Careers FAQs

Introduction

Please see below for the most frequently asked questions together with answers.  If you have any other questions, please call 0800 144 4101 or email recruitment@canfordhealthcare.co.uk.

What roles do you have available?

If you take a look at the vacancies section you’ll see that we have a variety of roles available. These range from caring and nursing roles, which are more on the clinical side and involve  working closely with residents, to jobs in the administration teams as well as housekeeping, activities and facilities. All these roles work together to support the safety and wellbeing of our residents. To get a feel for what each involves, you can click on its job description and a day-in-the life account of someone performing that role.

What qualities are you looking for in a carer?

Looking after vulnerable people and helping to maximise their quality of life is a very important and responsible job. While knowledge and experience are very useful – and we provide ongoing training to ensure that our staff excel in their roles and provide the best possible care to residents – personal attributes are also important, and these are very often innate rather than learned. They include compassion, patience and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

Do I need previous experience?

If you are interested in one of our nursing roles we prefer that you do have previous experience. But for our caring roles it doesn’t matter if you don’t. If you’re passionate about helping others and are willing to learn, then you’re the perfect candidate. There are a lot of different roles available, depending on where you’d like to work or what you want to do, and we can help you to find the right one.

How long is a shift?

The length of your shift depends on the role that you will be performing, and your contracted hours will always be stated in your contract. For example, our administration staff generally work for eight hours while our carers and nurses usually work a 12-hour shift. We also offer a variety of flexible or part-time roles too, so the length of shifts may vary.

How many breaks do you get per shift?

Breaks are in line with Working Time Regulations and the timings may vary between homes, so it’s best to ask the individual home manager.

What hours do you offer?

A variety of hours and rotas are available.  Our recruitment team is happy to discuss the options with you.

Do you offer part-time/flexible working?

Yes, we do offer-part-time shifts although these are specific to the vacancy at that particular home and role requirements. However, eligible employees can request a change in their working pattern once they have 26 weeks’ continuous service.

How do I get a DBS check and do I have to pay for this?

Everyone who works with vulnerable adults needs to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting employment. Once your employment is confirmed we send you a link so you can provide the required information and get the process under way. In addition, most of our staff will need to pay for half the cost of the check which is deducted from the first month’s pay. Don’t worry – we can guide you through this.

Do you provide a free uniform?

Yes. Our uniforms are colour coded depending on the role, and we provide a free set of tunics for nurses, carers and trainers, as well as housekeeping, activities and facilities staff. Administration staff wear black/navy jackets and skirts/trousers with cream or white blouses/shirts.

Is there an induction?

During your first 12 weeks of employment you will receive a specific, job-related induction to learn about the company, our policies, values and standards.

How is induction managed if I’m on the nightshift?

You will need to complete the initial part of your induction during the day then revert to the nightshift. This will be discussed with you at interview.

How will you be supported in your role?

We will monitor your work to ensure that it meets the objectives of our organisation, which include providing quality care to our residents at all times. We will support you by providing regular feedback via structured, regular supervisions and an annual appraisal. We will work with you to identify areas of strength and any developmental needs, and also provide ongoing training.

When do I get a pay rise?

We review salaries at least once a year, benchmarking ourselves against other similar employers in each of our support offices’s’ local areas to ensure that we remain competitive.

What benefits do you offer?

We reward our hard-working staff via a wide array of benefits. These include pay that is regularly reviewed and benchmarked to ensure that it remains competitive, as well as a pension, life assurance, enhanced overtime, a good holiday entitlement plus a paid day off on your birthday, retailer discounts, free refreshments, seasonal gifts, free uniforms and an employee referral scheme for staff who introduce new employees to us. We also support staff via our employee assistance programme and a variety of family-friendly policies such as paid compassionate leave, maternity, paternity/shared parental leave and study leave, as appropriate. We pay for professional subscriptions and memberships, where applicable, and also recognise and reward loyalty and long service.

Is there a bonus scheme?

While we don’t have a performance-related bonus as such, we offer an attractive rewards package including competitive pay, pension, life assurance, access to retail discounts and an employee referral scheme.

What paths for progression are there?

We are committed to help our staff to excel in their roles and so we provide access to continuous professional development, via on-the-job training and supervision, as well as support while you work towards industry-recognised care qualifications. Many of our staff have progressed through the various pathways. For example, one of our home managers began as a care assistant just eight years ago while several of our care assistants have moved up into assistant practitioner roles and/or nursing.

Will you pay for my exams?

We will support you to achieve additional professional qualifications that are relevant to your role by paying for examinations and providing time off for you to study for these, whenever necessary.

Will you pay for professional subscriptions?

If your role specifically requires you to be a member of a professional register, such as the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) which is essential for practising nurses, we will (with prior agreement) pay your subscription fees.

Will I get paid study leave?

Yes, as appropriate and by prior agreement with your manager/supervisor when you sign up for external professional courses that are relevant to your role.