Personal Care Assistant for a lady F/T@ £17.52/hr in NR10 - FTE - £24.8k - NORWICH - NR7

Are you looking for an exciting role that is fun, diverse and makes a difference to someone's life as a Personal Assistant?

Despite my different long term health conditions, I am a 51-year-old lady with sense of humor, friendly, and an empathic disposition. 
Among my health challenges there are: ADHD,  PTSD, fibromyalgia, undiferentiated connective Tissue Disorder, diverticular disease, pancreatic insufficiency Adrenal Insufficiency, ostheoarthtitis in various areas of my body. 
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 versed in the management of adrenal crisis situations. 
I also have mobility and fatigue issues due to the combinatio  of 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. I find that working gives me purpose.  
I used to have many hobbies up until early 2025, such as photography, building dollhouses, and quilting. However due to the deterioration of my health since July 2024, I have not been able to do any of them for a while now. 
I hope that by having extra support of a Personal Assistants I might be able will return to them again and improve my overrall wellbeing.   

This position is EMPLOYED and contractual, funded by social services and by me (through my contribution) and paid by direct payments services from Social  Services.
Tax and NI are deducted at source.

YOU CAN CHOOSE TO WORK AMONG THESE HOURS AVAILABLE:

A. mornings of 3 hours when breakfast, personal care and lunch is carried out. This could include a Sat or Sun morning  per week. 9am to 12pm.

B. 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 dogs to a field or a park and have a cup of coffee in a cafe there, as for example. (Hours to be negotiated)
C. evening shifts (it could include a Sat or Sunday) 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".  

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

E. If you have secretarial or administrative  experience, you can also apply for adding  an extra 1 hour a week of communication support you would carry out with me (I am dyslexic and have dyscalculia) by making phone calls, helping with rotas, booking and canceling appointments. 

F. if you have the availability and interest: you can also request to be nominated for caring out occasional "Sleep ins" with 2 hours of work at night can be taken by you on the ocassional times that my husband travels. There is a fixed rate paid for the sleeping part and in addition you also get paid for 2 additional hours you may need to work at night if necessary. This could be offered to you if you wanted to when my husband would be travelling for short periods for work or family needs. 

We operate as a cohesive 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's  availability and possibility to cover. 
 
REQUIREMENTS: 

1. Existence of prior experience in carrying out PERSONAL CARE is essential (shower and washing my hair/drying/(un)dressing/hair drying/styling).
 2. Ability TO COOK following a recipe, once given all ingredients from HELLO FRESH.
 3. MUST LIKE AND NOT BE ALLERGIC TO DOGS AND CATS. Feeding our two dogs and taking them to the garden regularly whilst staying with them outside, is also essential. Especially when my husband travels. I have two very friendly older female cocker spaniels. We had 2 beautiful cats until last year.  We might get cat(s) again in future. 
4. Wishing  to work as part of a TEAM as well as working independently (Lone working) when at our home. 

5. Ability to use TECHNOLOGY such as phones appa for rotas, electronic calendar on your phone that is shared among all, and a WhatsApp group where notifications are made to ask the team. 
6. Seeking a LONG TERM POSITION if it turns out to be the role you were hoping that it was.  This means working hopefully not for months here but for years. Our Senior PA has been here 11 years.   
7. I am looking for a personal assistant (FEMALE due to nature of personal care work) to work along side other personal assistants.

8. As part of this role, being able to cover the other Personal Assistants in case of sickness and/or holiday is ESSENTIAL. 

I encourage applicants from all different backgrounds with prior experience in care and with the necessary requirements to apply and attend an interview so we can meet up.  Even if you feel that the schedule suggested isn't exactly what you are looking for. If we both feel the position might suit you, comprises can always be discussed at that point. 

An interview will take place either online or at my home (it will depend on availability and my health at the time)  when it may be convenient for both of us;
If the time suggested for the interview is not suitable, PLEASE SUGGEST suitable times that would work for you.  
I am able to book interview  usually on Mondays, Wednesdays  or Fridays, and weekends at early afternoons when I don't have medical appointments. 

You will be asked to attend for an interview when you have answer these six questions and added them to the cover letter.
 1. How long have you worked as a personal assistant/ carer? 
 2. What do you enjoy most in your current or previous caring role? What do or did you enjoy the least? 
 3. Tell me about a positive experience with dogs and/or cats.
 4. Tell me about your experience with cooking at home or elsewhere. If you are vegan/ vegetarian how do you feel about cooking meat for others? 
 5. How would you describe your personality in general? Are you able to describe some rules or principles that you live your life by?
 6. What/Who/When could get in the way of you fulfilling your role here if you were to be successful at the interview?
  
SUMMARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS 
 -The RATE OF PAY for this position is £17.52 per hour.
 -Hours and times of work: 
1. Mornings 9-12pm, 
2. Afternoons (TBC)
3. Evening 6-8 pm or approximate

Total hours: it varies on how many shifts you can take on a regular basis plus covers when and if necessary. THERE ISN'T A FIXED NUMBER OF HOURS YOU MUST TAKE ON. It depends  on your needs and availability.  
Further details of your a specific duties will be discussed when you will be shadowing a senior PA and learning on the job.  This shadowing time is paid.  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. This training is essential as it ensures you get insured for the position. 
As this job requires: Manual Handling, and Food Handling you will be required undertake annual training for these subjects.

The post is subject to the following:  
1. A satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. If you have one under a year old, we can use that one.  Otherwise, the cost of obtainin  a DBS will be covered by Social Services.

2. 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.
3. 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.