Diane

I was first appointed as a care assistant at Croft House in 1992. This was my first experience of working with frail and vulnerable older people. At this time I was not considering care as a career, it was more about finding suitable work that fitted in with having a young family.

I found the opportunities for training, NVQ and personal development very exciting. Working closely with older people, who were living with physical needs and, often, various stages of dementia was both a privilege and a pleasure.

I thrived in an environment where providing quality care and making a positive difference to people lives gave me a real buzz.

In 1997, I moved to the role of Care Supervisor after I achieved my NVQ Level 3 in Care. This drove me on to do more training and to seek promotion, so I was able to encourage, support and develop staff in their roles.

This is what drives me today and, to a large extent, gives me my job satisfaction.

In 2001, I transferred to Pulsford Lodge as Deputy Manager. At Pulsford Lodge I was able to learn and improve on my knowledge and skills, which included the business aspect of the company as well as care.

In 2003, I was appointed Manager at Moorhaven, in Taunton. I undertook the Registered Managers Award Level 4 and NVQ Level 4 in Care training together and completed both within the year. I enjoyed the opportunities this gave me to work closely with other professionals.

During 2006, I achieved an e-learning qualification in Dementia Care and also became a Dementia Care Mapper for Somerset Care and was appointed as a member of the Dementia Steering Group.

I returned to Croft House as the Manager in 2007.

I was integral is the success of moving Croft House into a purpose built development in May 2011, having recruited a large new work force, which we developed and trained to provide a high quality service.

In 2012, I successfully applied to become an Operations Manager, which is a role that I thoroughly enjoy as I am able to support a team of Managers and their staff.