Local business takes action on care in community

After two decades of gathering extensive knowledge and experience in the home-care sector, Patrick Thompson set his sights on the challenge of quality of care in the community. His in-home care company, Visiting Angels, has launched in the Guilford and Surrey Heath area to raise standards for both care staff and those who receive care in their homes.

Patrick’s business partner, John Madete, is equally passionate about the care sector and is determined to be part of a company that delivers the highest standard of personalised care and support. Having moved to the UK from Kenya at the end of 2019, John began volunteering at the British Red Cross during the pandemic. Through supporting his community, John has established strong ties and associations within the area and now wants to help those vulnerable people and their families living locally.

“We’re really excited to be launching our care service with a difference and to be in a position to change lives in our local community,” said Patrick. “Experience has taught me that the very best care and support can only be given when the care giver and the client are put at the centre of the service. That’s exactly what Visiting Angels is doing. In the wake of COVID-19, we recognise that our service is in demand more than ever before.

“We want to build up genuine relationships with our clients and go above and beyond for them. Even if that’s as simple as going out and buying them a newspaper. Empathy is so important in this industry. Good care and support is based on great relationships and they are formed by having dedicated care staff who are well trained, experienced, reliable and compassionate.”

Visiting Angels’ ‘carer-centric’ approach sets them apart from other companies in the home-care sector. Carers working for Visiting Angels can feel valued and respected for their commitment to the industry. Through both financial rewards and opportunities for career development, Patrick, John and the Visiting Angels team are determined to address existing issues surrounding the industry, which often leaves carers feeling little-to-no appreciation. Put simply, they believe in more than just clapping for carers.

Registered Care Manager, Paula Carman, has spent over 16 years working in the sector and had all but made her mind up to leave it after a cacophony of negative experiences. “It was so disheartening to not be able to provide the quality of care that is so vital to many people in our community. So when I saw Visiting Angels were launching in our area, I was delighted. Providing person-centred care is extremely important as it empowers our clients to meet their own personal goals, whether this be living independently, finding a job or learning new skills. Pairing our carers with clients who have similar interests is just one of the ways we increase job satisfaction whilst delivering high quality care.”

“We all feel hugely grateful to be in the position to change lives, especially during such challenging times,” added John. “We intend to make our mark in the local community by providing a superior service that will enable people to live comfortably and independently in their own homes, whilst alleviating the pressure felt by family members. We’re also offering bespoke training for families to help support them with caring for their loved ones and are collaborating with local businesses and communities to host social activities, such as bridge games, in cafes and other venues.”

On the 6th July, Patrick, John and Paula received approval to operate from the Care Quality Commission. Based at Winton House in Woking, Visiting Angels is already recruiting local care workers to satisfy the growing demand for its service. Within the next 12 months, the trio hope to bring 40 jobs to the area and are well on their way to becoming the care employer of choice across the region.

Visiting Angels Central Surrey will serve families of Guildford, Surrey Heath and the surrounding areas. For more information, visit www.visiting-angels.co.uk/centralsurrey/ or call 01483 931934

Notes to Editors

For more information, or to speak with the Visiting Angels Central Surrey team, please contact Kelly Ayres at Rev PR on 07895 876745 or email kelly@revpr.co.uk

Image attached: Pat to provide an image of himself with John and Paula.


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About Visiting Angels

In 2017, the Visiting Angels brand came to the UK under the expert leadership of Dan Archer. A franchise veteran and passionate ambassador for quality care at home, Dan launched the first UK office in October 2017. In less than 12 months, Visiting Angels Sheffield proved to be one of our most successful new franchises. Ever. Dan and his team were awarded ‘Best International Office’ at our 2018 Annual Conference in recognition of their exceptional performance and commitment to the Visiting Angels UK mission. Most care businesses, and in turn, most care franchises, will tell you that they put their clients first. And whilst we don’t disagree with the sentiment, we take a slightly different view on how to achieve it. We believe that to truly be successful in this pursuit, and to change the future of social care in the UK, we must actually put our carers at the heart of the business. For without them, there is no business. We describe this approach as "carer-centric".