Feb 2021
Meet Spencer Court's Head of Care
Head of Care Monika Cembrzynska joined OSJCT to work for Spencer Court in 2020, during the Coronavirus pandemic. We asked her to tell us all about herself!
What did you do before you joined OSJCT?
I am a qualified social worker, and previously worked in the charity sector and in hospital settings with stroke patients before joining OSJCT at Spencer Court.
What made you decide to work in care?
During the first wave of the pandemic I was inspired by the amazing job the care industry and the NHS were doing. This motivated me to apply for the role of Head of Care at Spencer Court: I wanted to be part of the solution to the problem the country was facing, and to be proud of what I do.
What does your role as Head of Care involve?
My job is to ensure excellent standards of care are maintained in the home by facilitating good communication and training across all teams. I work closely with individuals on the care teams to ensure their mandatory training is up to date, as well as completing probationary and review meetings with them, and taking care of weekly rotas.
I also facilitate a smooth admission process by being on hand to answer any questions and supporting the resident and their family as they move to the home. I continue to be a main point of contact for the residents’ families; keeping them up to date about their loved one and letting them know about any significant events at the home like COVID-19 vaccines and the home’s COVID-secure visiting room.
Monika performing a Lateral Flow Test for Covid-19
What do you find challenging about your role?
Having joined OSJCT during the pandemic, one of the ongoing challenges of my role has been ensuring the home implements the latest government and OSJCT COVID-19 guidelines effectively to ensure residents and colleagues at the home remain safe, healthy and happy.
What do you find the most rewarding about your role?
I feel proud to be able to help create a friendly place in which to live and work, and I love seeing new carers finding their feet and a passion for their role. I enjoy spending as much time with the residents as possible and listening to their stories, which are full of wisdom.
What do you like to do outside work?
Ever since my school days I have loved books: I studied English Literature at A Level and have always been an avid reader, mostly of novels. I am also a ‘quirky cat lady’, and I cannot wait to be able to sign up for Zumba classes again after lockdown.