TEN QUESTIONS
10 Questions with... Charles Armitage
Each issue we ask an industry professional the Tomorrow’s Care 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Charles Armitage, Co-Founder and CEO of Florence...
1
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE CARE INDUSTRY? I started my career working as a doctor in the NHS,
where I was pursuing a career in General Surgery. I started working in the care sector three years ago when we began to build Florence, the marketplace for nursing and carer shifts in the care sector. Since 2017, 20,000 nurses have registered with Florence.
2
WHO, IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY, DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? I’m not sure whether I’d like him to be my best friend, but
I definitely admire Elon Musk’s drive, tenacity and vision. Building your own space programme is no mean feat, and it puts the ambition of many other businesses in the shade!
5
6 7
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING THE CARE INDUSTRY TODAY?
The sector is facing a particularly difficult time, where providers are expected to do more and more with fewer resources. Unfortunately, the people that feel the pinch are those being cared for and also the staff providing frontline care. It’s boring to constantly come back to money, but the sector needs to be recognised and funded appropriately.
IF YOU COULD HAVE A DINNER PARTY WITH ANY THREE PEOPLE, DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE?
Winston Churchill, Nina Simone and Lucian Freud would form a great mix of personalities and provide some lively debate!
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO SOMEONE NEW COMING INTO THE CARE PROFESSION?
Remember that you have one of the most important jobs in society. Take charge of your learning and development, and approach your work with humility… and a healthy sense of humour.
8
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN A FUTURE ISSUE OF TOMORROW’S CARE?
It would be great to see more of a focus on how care providers can develop and train their staff over and beyond the minimum standards set today. If we want to professionalise the care workforce, then the first step would be to map out career development frameworks.
9 3
HOW DO YOU THINK THE CARE SECTOR COULD BE IMPROVED?
I’d like to see the sector be more empathetic and focussed on the wellbeing and development of frontline staff. Providing better care for residents starts with putting the needs of care staff front and centre. Some providers do this well, but there is much more to do.
4
IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPERPOWER FOR A DAY WHAT WOULD IT BE?
To have a perfect understanding of what intrinsically drives people to do what they do. This may be a superpower but it’s an achievable one.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE CARE INDUSTRY?
The sector will continue to grow in size and importance within society. We need to see more people from within the sector growing into leadership positions so that the needs of frontline staff are held at the forefront of decision-making.
10
JULIE TYAS, SENIOR STRATEGY LEAD FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS, AT SERVELEC, ASKED: WHAT WOULD YOU
LIKE TO SEE SUPPLIERS DOING IN THE COMING MONTHS TO HELP THE SECTOR DELIVER JOINED-UP CARE? In order to build empathy for the challenges that different parts of the sector face, staff should be encouraged to experience as many different roles as possible. This should start with undergraduate training for nurses where a greater focus should be on placements in the independent care sector.
www.florence.co.uk
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www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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