Managers

If the home is run by a managerial firm, one of the team will visit periodically. They usually visit some of the residents and if there are any complaints they will discuss the matter with the complainer and endeavour to resolve the problem.

The Matron

All care home employees, including the matron and nursing staff agencies, are subject to a police check. Neither the matron nor the managers are allowed to employ permanent staff who have not been vetted by the police.

Your relative may already have met either the matron, a Registered Nurse, or the matron’s deputy when they were assessed prior to their admission. The matron is responsible to the proprietors and is the person who is responsible for:

• Dealing with enquiries regarding prospective residents.
• Assessing prospective residents.
• The admission of residents.
• Ensuring residents are cared for properly.
• The residents’ well being.
• Engaging all or most of the staff.
• Checking the cleanliness of the home.
• Listening to and dealing with complaints.
• Proper staffing levels.
• Staff training.
• Many other things within the home.

In many homes the matron is also the manager. They may or may not wear a uniform but will usually wear a name badge.

The Deputy Matron

The deputy matron is a Registered Nurse and is responsible to the matron and deputises when they are not in the home. Some homes have two deputies while others have other trained and experienced staff who are able to take over when neither the matron nor the deputy are available.

The deputy matron will wear uniform and a name badge. Traditionally the uniform will be navy blue and may be a dress or trousers and top but this varies from home to home.

Some of a deputy matron’s duties may include:

• Deputising for the matron when they are unavailable.
• Working with the residents.
• Being responsible for residents’ well being and care.
• Supervising junior staff.
• Assisting with staff training.
• Being responsible for resident care plans and keeping them up to date.

The deputy matron’s duties will inevitably overlap some of the matron’s work and they will be responsible for anything the matron or the proprietor/manager asks them to do, provided it is not unlawful, is within their scope as a Registered Nurse and causes no harm to residents or staff, eg knowingly using unsafe equipment. Their duties will vary in different homes.

Registered Nurses (Sisters Or Staff Nurses)

Traditionally Registered Nurses wear navy or light blue uniforms. However, many homes have their own colour scheme for their staff.

Some of the responsibilities of the Registered Nurses:

• Maintaining care of the residents.
• Teaching and supervising junior staff.
• Ensuring all the residents’ care and treatment is recorded on the appropriate care plans.
• Reporting any changes in a resident’s physical or mental health to the matron or the doctor.
• Dispensing prescribed drugs to the correct residents at the right time and recording this information on the residents’ drug charts.
• Plus anything within reason that the matron requests.

Care Assistants

Care assistants are perhaps closer to the residents than anybody else because they spend so much time caring for them.

Their main duties are:

• Assisting residents to wash or to have a bath or shower.
• Assisting residents choose their clothes for the day and to help them dress.
• Reporting to senior staff any accidents that may happen to residents.
• Reporting if residents feel or appear unwell at any time.
• Assisting residents who cannot feed themselves.
• Assisting with activities, walking, taking them to the toilet, etc.
• Preserving the residents’ dignity and privacy.
• Encouraging residents to chat to each other and build up friendships.
• Helping residents undress and get ready for bed at an appropriate time for them.
• Other duties as requested by the senior staff provided it is within the boundaries of their contract and their capabilities.

The nursing staff usually work in shifts which vary slightly from home to home. They generally have two days off weekly.

Agency Staff

There are occasions, perhaps due to sickness, when there is a staff shortage. If this occurs the matron has to engage temporary staff from an agency. Their uniforms may be different to the ones the permanent staff wear but they generally wear name badges.