Exemplar Health Care launches ‘We Care’ package of support for colleagues amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Exemplar Health Care is beyond proud of the commitment and dedication of all of its colleagues during this unprecedented health pandemic. In recognition of this and as a thank you, we’ve created 'We Care' - a package of additional support for colleagues across our 32 care homes at this difficult time.  

Our 'We Care' package of support includes: 

• free meals for all colleagues during shifts, so that they don’t need to leave the care home to get food or worry about bringing food into work
• a takeaway pizza delivery for all colleagues, every week, at each care home
• free food ordering service with a 10% subsidised discount when colleagues order their personal shopping through our catering supplier, Birchall Food Service
• financial support for colleagues whose children are eligible to receive free school meals (equating to £2.00 per child, per shift worked Monday to Friday during term time). 

We hope that this additional support will help our key workers to continue to come to work and ease the burden of either financial worries or getting access to the things that they would normally find easy, such as shopping. 

Lynne Waters, HR Director of Exemplar Health Care, said: “I’m extremely proud of all of our colleagues who are doing all they can to continue to provide the best high-quality care. As a thank you for their continued hard work, we have launched this package hoping that it will make their lives easier at this difficult time.

“As the Government continues to control social contact and limit travel, we recognise that some people might struggle to get to and from work if public transport is reduced or cancelled, so taxi journeys will be remunerated.”

Since all non-essential visits have been limited, Exemplar Health Care is purchasing iPads for all care homes to keep our service users in touch with their family members and friends via video calls, making this time a bit easier for all.

"In addition to purchasing iPads, we’ve reached out to local schools to ask for their support. To brighten up the day of people living in our care homes, we’ve launched an ‘Every Day Letters’ campaign so that school children and their parents can send letters, poems and drawings to our colleagues and residents.

"Today, we’re proud to launch our ‘Above and Beyond’ award which asks colleagues to nominate others who have gone the extra mile at work. Each week we’ll choose a winner who will be rewarded with a £25 Amazon voucher – this is just one of the small ways that we’re trying to make this journey as bearable as possible for our wonderful employees.” 

As well as the new ‘We Care’ package, we’re working to ensure that colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing is looked after during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, by giving them continued access to an Employee Assistance Programme with a 24-hour helpline and free counselling, and encouraging them to reach out to the designated Mental Health First Aiders at each care home. 

Find out more

If you’re already an employee of Exemplar Health Care, you can find out more about ‘We Care’ on the MyExemplar app, or speak to your Home Manager or Administrator. 

To meet the growing demand for social care, we’re currently recruiting up to 1000 Associate Carer roles in Yorkshire and Humber, the North West and North East and Midlands. If you’re interested in finding more about this role, click here.  

For media enquiries please contact our Marketing Team on communications@exemplarhc.com.