Delivering high-quality care is about more than simply carrying out care tasks. The best quality care is grounded in social value and the wider community – investing in staff and delivering better outcomes for people receiving care.
For us, social value is reflected in how care is delivered in practice — whether it is safe, consistent and sustainable.
At Airmid, we don’t see it as a buzzword or an optional extra, instead we thread it through our DNA. It is the difference between creating care packages that just tick the box and creating care packages that are tailored to individuals, allowing them to thrive. When we invest in staff and their training, we are able to deliver better outcomes and experiences for both those receiving care and the carers themselves.
Career pathways
At Airmid, we don’t think of our roles as positions that need filling by just anyone who has the qualifications. We instead focus on investing in talent and building career pathways for individuals that work with us. This improves care outcomes for those receiving it and helps to keep the best carers in the local area.
Achieving this isn’t something we leave to chance by simply hiring people who are good at their job and hoping that they stay. We have set in place very clear, structured career progression pathways, whether working in the office or in the field. Examples include:
We understand the benefits and importance of retaining talent and experience for the person receiving care. Continuity of care can be as simple as the pleasure of seeing a familiar face to the importance of that carer having a in depth understanding of a person’s medical history and care needs, thereby improving their care experience and outcomes.
This structured approach reduces reliance on short-term staffing, strengthens workforce stability, and supports consistent, high-quality care delivery.
Investment in training & development
Recruiting is only the start. We don’t stop there by just leaving new staff to their own devices. We believe that ongoing competency checks and career progression are key – not just giving one-off training. Safe and stable care is delivered by staff who feel supported to deliver and develop in their role. This ensures staff are not only trained, but competent and confident to deliver safely within complex and evolving care environments.
To support this, we are building our own training academy. We are currently upskilling those with care experience, and in the near future we plan to introduce a “grass roots” training approach to introduce people into the care sector.
Stability
Transparency is key – for both staff and clients alike. We don’t over promise on care packages and we don’t undertake packages that we know we can’t deliver safely and consistently.
We understand the value in continuity of staff for those receiving care, as opposed to just filling roles quickly. All this drives stability and reduces the risk of the breakdown of care packages.
This approach supports controlled, sustainable growth and provides reassurance to both families and commissioners that care delivery is reliable and risk-managed.
What are the outcomes?
Social value is played out in very real ways – improving outcomes for the person receiving care and the wider community. By delivering people-focused care we are able to support people to remain in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, helping them to maintain established routines that best support them.
For example, our Hospital to Home (Bridging) solution supports system flow, reduces delayed discharges, and enables more effective use of acute healthcare capacity. This in turn takes pressure off hospitals, thus increasing the provision of NHS care in the local area.
When somebody does require hospital care and is ready to be discharged, our bridging care is highly responsive, and risk-managed. This is delivered with defined next steps and active progression planning, before a tailored care plan can be established.
We don’t view bridging as “holding” support, but as an active part of the pathway, with clear oversight, defined endpoints, and strong coordination with commissioners and clinical teams.
For complex care cases, our focus is on continuity, consistency, and long-term outcomes.
Care with lasting impact
Rather than just being a mission statement or an abstract concept, at Airmid social value is delivered consciously through our structures and choices. From our high level career pathways right down to the care that is being delivered day in day out, social value directly impacts safety, continuity, and long-term outcomes.
About the Author
Louise Paul, Airmid Staffing’s Registered Manager, has over 10 years’ experience in home care and has experience of managing CQC ‘Good’ rated providers whilst striving toward an ‘Outstanding’ rating.