National Star reviews

Physically and mentally draining, increasingly complex service users / high medical care and challenging behavior. No breaks, even on 12 hour shifts. Breaks are paid so due to the busy environment you are expected to continue working throughout. Rarely see the senior management team mix unless inspections are taking place. Low pay for very high responsibility and stress. Some individuals in other departments look down upon care staff, lack of respect is evident. Refresher training not planned and given when it should be. Currently a very high rate of care staff turnover resulting in continuous and constant recruitment drives, lowered standards and a high use of unfamiliar external agency staff many of who's level of care commitment is questionable. Required equipment to carry out job role is not always readily accessable such as laptops / computers, recording stations. No staff rooms in residences / no time away from the work floor. Recent years appear to be employing many people who are unqualified, unskilled and generally lack any sense of a caring nature. If your face fits and you do exactly as you are told you will be left alone and may be able to progress into senior management roles, if you question anything or speak up you will eventually be constructivley dismissed or out the door. Terrible sickness policy, front line care staff sit within the same policy as office based staff. Early / Late shifts. Finishing at 11pm and back in at 7am. Little sleep / fatigue, no social life, long hours on alternate weekends. Senior management team are rarely seen mixing "on the floor" or checking in on service users or co-workers, until there is an inspection or visitors then they are tripping over eachother to support!

Very focused on students and not on staff wellbeing. Poor sickness policy, poor pension, poor maternity policy. Very demanding job. Everyone is very hardworking and cares but there appears to be a culture of telling on each other to management. Very target driven with unrealistic goals. Quite a negative workplace as so many people are overworked.