Home Instead welcomes Care Minister

Gillian Keegan started her morning by shadowing Home Instead caregiver, Eleanor, who was on a home care call to clients in New Malden

Home Instead welcomed the New Minister for Care, Gillian Keegan to its franchise office in Wimbledon and Kingston on 29 November.

The visit was arranged to give Gillian an insight into home care, and the huge impact that Home Instead’s quality care has on its elderly clients and franchisees’ local communities. The minister was also keen to meet with the franchisee for Wimbledon and Kingston, Clare Jefferies and her team to learn more about the business and how they make a difference in their local area.

Gillian started her morning by shadowing Home Instead caregiver, Eleanor, who was on a home care call to clients Dorothy and Eric in New Malden. The couple, both in their 90s, have been clients of Home Instead for over a year and the visits they have received from a small team of caregivers have been a lifeline, particularly during the lockdown months.

The minister spoke to the couple about the care they received, and how it had supported them to remain at home and live independently. When moving on to the office visit, Gillian met with members of the team to learn more about Home Instead’s unique person-centred care.

Speaking about the visit, the minister said: “I am very grateful for the opportunity to shadow a domiciliary care worker on one of their visits, and to Dorothy and Eric for taking the time to talk to me about their experience receiving care in their own home during COVID-19.”

Clare Jeffries, owner of Home Instead Wimbledon and Kingston said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our work in the local community. It’s not every day that a government minister comes to call.

“The work we do helps to keep people out of hospital, as well as allowing them to return home sooner following a stay in hospital. The last few years have shown us, more than ever, just how important it is for us to work to blur the line between health and social care, looking for more opportunities to collaborate and better support each other.”

Clare spoke to the minister about the need to professionalise care work and the length that Home Instead goes to provide training and career progression opportunities for its teams. The Wimbledon and Kingston office was the first home care company in London to achieve an outstanding rating from the CQC back in 2016 and has since gone on to secure a further two outstanding ratings.

Image: (L-R) Suzanne Elwick, Clare Jefferies, Natalie Elmitt, Gillian Keegan