Personal Care Assistant for a 51 year old lady 20 hr/wk@ £350/weekly in NR7 - FTE - £34.2k - NORWICH - NR7

 Job Description

Are you looking for an exciting role that is fun, diverse and rewarding as a Personal Assistant?
  
ABOUT ME 
Despite my different health conditions, including various autoimmune disorders, I am a 51-year-old lady with great sense of humor, and friendly, chatty disposition. These, among others,  includes combined ADHD,  PTSD, fibromyalgia, undiferentiated connective Tissue Disorder, diverticular disease, pancreatic insufficiency Adrenal Insufficiency, ostheoarthtitis in various areas. 

This means I am dependent on steroids. Adrenal Insufficiency is considered a life threatening condition ever  time I have an adrenal crisis. However, I have this condition since 2012 and am well equipped in the management adrenal crisis situations. 
I also have mobility issues due to these conditions and I use a wheelchair both indoors  and outdoors. 
I am a semi-retired health worker and still work two afternoons privately from home a week, online. I find that working gives me purpose and makes me feel part of everyday life.
I used to have many hobbies, such as photography, building dollhouses, and quilting. However due to the deterioration of my health in July 2024,  I have not been able to do any of them for a while now. 
I hope with now having extra support of more Personal Assistants since I was reviewed  by my Social  worker and received a new care plan, slowl  with support, I might be able will return to them again and have a better quality of life. 

PARTICULARS OF THE POSITION 
You will have a contract with me. This means I am the employer and you an employee with the rights available to you through the contract between us.  

Your position is funded by social services and by me (through my contribution) and paid by direct payments services from Social  Services directly to your bank account. Tax and NI are deducted at source at every payslip. 

ABOUT YOU 

I am looking for a personal assistant (FEMALE due to nature of personal care work on all different types of shifts) to complement the work of other personal assistants already in place. 

SHIFTS AVAILABLE
The position offers hours for:
 A. 2 morning of 3 hours when breakfast, personal care and lunch is carried out. This might include a weekend day per week. 

B. 1 or 2 afternoons where you will help me access the community with my wheelchair, driving my automatic vehicle and supporting me to different appointments and accessing community services.  This will be either for variable appointments or for social activities in the community which may include taking me with my 2 beautiful dogs to a field or a park and have a cup of coffee in a cafe there, as an example. 
C. 3 or 4 out of the 7 allocable evening shifts, possibly including a weekend evening evening) of 2 hours each. During these evening shifts, you will support me with personal care for the evening, prepare a hot freshly made meal using hello fresh as it makes it much easier for you to preparea hot meal. It is all weighed for you and comes with an easy to follow recipe card. 

D. You can take two additional hours of domestic work to be carried out usually on either Mondays, Wednesdays  of Fridays afternoons.

E. If you have secretarial or administrative  experience, you can also apply for the extra 1 hour a week of communication support you do with me by helping me (I am dyslexic and have dyscalculia) by making phone calls, helping with rotas, booking and canceling appointments and ensuring I'm not double booking appointments for example.  

The set hours for the different shifts on this position are:
 1. Morning: 9 to 12. 3 hours
 2. Evening: 5.30pm -6pm to 7.30pm- 8pm 2 hours. 
 3. Afternoon (times here may vary to suit both yours and my needs): between 1pm to 5pm but for a total of 2 hours up to twice a week. 
4. Sleep in with 2 hours of work at night can be taken by you on the ocassional times that my husband travels. The days at the time can be shared with other PAs.
 

TEAM PLAYER
As part of this role, being able to cover the other Personal Assistants in case of sickness and/or holiday is ESSENTIAL. The goal is to not leave me without any care as it is essential for my health, Social needs and wellbeing. 

We operate as a cooperative team working towards the same goal.  This is maintained through positive communication, for example, by notifying all, via a private WhatssApp group any sickness as soon as possible and holidays that have been approved, so that cover can be arranged considering everyone'  availability to cover. 
 
THE POSITION REQUIREMENTS 

1.    Existence of prior experience in carrying out personal care is ESSENTIAL (shower and washing my hair/drying/(un)dressing/hair drying/ styling) as this occurs usually in the morning after breakfast. Then there's lunch preparation. 
 2. In the evening, as I have several dietary restrictions, you will prepare a FRESH hot meal with a "Hello Fresh" pack. So enjoying and being able to cook is important for this position. 
A made from scratch meal ensures that the ingredients that I'm unable to eat are not added. 
In the evening, you will also carry out my personal care necessary for the night, and help me into bed.  
 3. If my husband is travelling either for work or to visit his family, feeding our two dogs and taking them to the garden regularly whilst staying with them outside, is also essential. This means that you MUST like dogs in order to take  on this position, as I have two very friendly mature female cocker spaniels. 
4. Wishing  to work as part of a team and being positive about working with others and being  "team player" is also essential.  For that, it is important that you are accepting of the natural diversity among different people. 

5. The ability to use technology such as an app for rota on your phone, an electronic calendar on your phone and a PA WhatsApp group is a necessary skill for this position.  
I encourage applicants from all different backgrounds with prior experience in care and with the necessary requirements described here.
 
PROCESS
An interview will take place either online or at my home when it may be convenient for both of us;
 If the time suggested for the interview is not suitable, please suggest suitable times for you (for me the best times are: Mondays, Wednesdays  or Fridays, and weekends early PM).
 
ESSENTIAL FOR THE INTERVIEW 
You will only be considered for an interview ONCE you have answer these questions so I am able to understand you better.  This as you might be aware is a very personal role.
 
 1. How long have you worked as a personal assistant/ carer? 
 2. What do you enjoy most in your caring role?
 3. Tell me about a positive experience dogs and with cats.
 4. Tell me about your experience with cooking at home or elsewhere.
 5. How would you describe your personality?
 6. What could get in the way of you fulfilling your role?
 
 I look forward to meeting you soon.
  
 SUMMARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS 
 -The rate of pay for this position is £17.52 per hour.
 -Hours and times of work: 
Mornings 9-12pm, 
afternoons (variable times between 1pm to 5pm), 
evening 6-8 pm or similar
Total hours: it varies on how many shifts you can take on a regular basis plus covers whe  necessary
 -Further details of your a specific duties will be discussed when you will be shadowing a senior PA and learning the on the job.  This shadowing is paid to you. Everything that will be expected of you will be explained prior to acceptance of the position.
 -The annual holiday entitlement for this position will be 5.6 weeks wte accrued with the hours you have worked. 
Your holidays quota starts in April 1st 2026. 
You will be require  to take up essential training for employed workers online. These hours are also paid and ensure you get insured for the position. 
 -If this job requires; Manual Handling, Handling of hazardous chemicals and/or Food Handling you will be required undertake annual training for these subjects.
 You will be insured if employed with me.
 The post is subject to the following:  
 · A satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, the cost of which will be covered by Social Services if you do not have one within the last year. 
  · Satisfactory references from two referees, one of which must be your current or last line manager.  The second can be a professional or a character reference of someone NOT related to you or another employer.
  · Completion of a satisfactory probationary period of 6 months. If required, this probationary period can be extended to ensure you are meeting the required aspects of this role and we will give you enough time for this to occur.
 
 I look forward to meeting you soon.