Local mum commits to improving the quality of care in Newcastle with new in-home care provider
Born and raised in Newcastle, Caitlin Evans knows first-hand the issues facing local carers and the standards of care provision. After spending almost her entire working life in various roles across the care sector and seeing the huge impact working in care can have on carers’ wellbeing, Caitlin became determined to do things differently. Now, as the Registered Care Manager of newly launched local provider Visiting Angels, she and Managing Director Nazim Vadiwala are set to change the future of in-home care for the people of Newcastle. Together, the duo brings a burning desire to help carers feel valued and fulfilled in their careers.
Caitlin, whose parents are both medical professionals, had witnessed the immense challenges the care sector faces from a young age. However, following redundancy early on in her career, she soon found herself drawn back to care after also seeing the incredible fulfilment it can bring to those in need. It was during her tenure as a care coordinator that she truly grasped the impact she could have. Her experiences in this role highlighted the significant issues impacting the sector, inspiring her to address them head-on and marking the start of her unique journey in transforming in-home care. Now, as the Registered Care Manager of a provider determined to reform an industry in need, she hopes she and Naz can become the catalyst of a brighter future for care provision in Newcastle.
"In my years as a care co-ordinator, I gained invaluable insights into the care sector from a carer’s perspective,” said Caitlin. “This experience led me to ask myself how I would like to be treated in their position. This is why Naz and I are fully committed to going above and beyond for our amazing team of carers. So often in our industry, caregivers feel unsupported, unfulfilled and undervalued, but they deserve so much appreciation and reward for the incredible work they do. We’re determined to do things differently and properly care for our team, allowing them to properly care for the community we love so much.
“I have a deep-rooted connection with the community and have seen the significant imbalance with care in the area. There are far too many individuals in need of care and not nearly enough people available to provide it. Naz and I are so passionate about improving the quality and availability of care in Newcastle – we plan on making a tangible difference in the community we call home.”
The UK’s care system is struggling, and too often failing, to meet the needs of the growing elderly population. With society's needs becoming increasingly complex, care providers are now faced with the challenging task of ensuring carers are continually upskilled while providing financial and personal recognition. With caregiver turnover rising to 77% in 2023 for reasons such as low pay, poor working conditions or too much responsibility, Visiting Angels' revitalised approach of caring for carers before anyone else is addressing the need to establish a strong, committed and highly skilled workforce. Through both financial rewards and opportunities for career development, Caitlin, Nazim and the Visiting Angels team are determined to reform the care industry's conditions, which often leaves carers feeling little to no appreciation.
“In an industry where many care providers, constrained by staffing issues, offer only the bare minimum level of care, I’m determined to set a higher standard. My mission is to demonstrate to the industry how it can and should be done, proving that there are no excuses for poor-quality care and high levels of turnover. I want to show my son that hard work and determination can make a real difference and inspire a new generation of people who only know high-quality, accessible care.”
For more information, or to see how Visiting Angels could help care for your loved ones, visit https://www.visiting-angels.co.uk/ or call Caitlin, Naz and the team on 0191 908 6438.
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