People’s stories
Phil's Story
Phil (left) with his brother ‘Terry’ in Scarborough.
I have just recruited, on my brother’s behalf, a third self-employed PA. This PA is spectacular. Seriously good. Not only does she enjoy the cleaning aspect, the one non-negotiable for the role, her other engagement has been invaluable. Terry is losing his teeth through fizzy drinks. He has refused to go to the dentist previously, costing the loss of booking fees. The PA successfully supported him to try again and helped translate, when he spoke incoherently to dental staff. It transpired that Terry has a suspicious lump in the top of his mouth. The hospital sent an immediate appointment, and the PA changed her working arrangements to take him. Given Terry’s only other appearances in hospital has been to be assessed or detained, this was incredible. His investigations and biopsy continue. It’s a testament to the quality of support we have been able to get him this far!
The PA keeps me in the loop when it is appropriate to do so, otherwise she speaks directly to Terry. The PA has also given him permission to contact her outside of her regular hours if he wishes to talk. We could not have found a better person, not just a PA.
Terry has done artwork using crayon and a hot iron in the past and we were fortunate to get it displayed in an art gallery for him to see and seek to raise his self-esteem
PA Noticeboard
Overall, the website is extremely helpful and well presented. I found it easy to navigate. The simple titles of ‘Search Jobs’ – ‘Search PAs’ an example. The initial search engine for PAs was helpful. I ticked requirements of the location, driver’s license and previous mental health experience resulting in ten potentials. From these profiles I contacted four PAs and set up interviews with three. Particularly useful, when looking at individual profiles, were their attributes, such as having a DBS, availability, working within a smoking environment and so on. Three was a good number. One removed themselves prior to the interview as more hours had become available elsewhere and a second had an unforeseen appointment and failed to make the interview. The third, in conjunction with my brother, was appointed. I found that the making of an advert along with my own searches and contact, allowed for recruitment on two fronts. Having the advert ‘vetted’, was very helpful.
Improvements
I am now working on the direct payment board to make sure others going through the recruitment journey are fully informed about the difference between employing a PA and using the services of a self-employed PA. It’s important to understand the pros and cons of each option including the responsibilities of being an employer and the support out there such as payroll.