Your induction
Your induction at the Agency may be just a two or three hour meeting covering largely administrative matters, including company policies and procedures and care guidelines, or it may form part of an induction course lasting several days. In either case, this will be the best time to confirm what the Local Representative has told you and to ask any further questions.
Be certain to bring all the required documentation with you and, if possible, the number of your UK mobile phone. Although your UK Criminal Record Bureau check can only be used by your chosen Agency, some documents, such as your Police Check from your home country and personal references, can be used if you apply to another Agency later. Ask the Agency to photocopy these and return the original to you.
Make sure you fully understand the scope of the different levels of care that the Agency offers to Clients and only register for a level with which you are comfortable. Be clear which levels include Clients with dementia or incontinence, for instance, or Clients needing a catheter. Unless you are a qualified nurse or already have considerable care experience, it may be best to start at the least arduous level.
Once you have completed your induction, there will be a tantalizing wait until you are told of your first assignment. During this time, it is essential to have your mobile phone available during office hours ready for the Agency to contact you wherever you are. This means:
- The phone is with you, and preferably on you, so that you hear the call.
- The phone is switched on!
- The battery is fully charged.
- You have sufficient paid-up air time.
You will also need pencil and paper to take down the information given to you. If you do not respond to their call immediately, the Agency may well pass the assignment on to another Carer