The secret of a successful rehab service? Happy, supported staff

Meet Bonnie, Lisa, Shainy and Stacey from Askham Rehab, as they share their journeys to working for one of the leading neuro-rehab providers in East Anglia. 

One thing they share is that when they first started working with Askham, they did not think they would be working in rehab. 

However, over time and with the support of a management team committed to person-centered empowerment for staff as well as residents, they have flourished. Each of them now contribute directly to quality of life improvements of the rehab patients at Askham. 

Every member of the Askham team has a story to tell – one that involves self-development, professional ambition, and personal drive to be the best they can be, and in so doing bring this out in their rehab patients too. 

Askham is always looking for motivated individuals to join their team – if you could see yourself working alongside Bonnie, Lisa, Shainy, Stacey or their colleagues, get in touch with the Askham team.  

‘I moved from the kitchen into speech therapy’

For Bonnie Nelson, her 14-year career at Askham has been varied, and through her initial role as a kitchen assistant, she saw first-hand the impact speech therapy had. 

“I saw the speech therapists at work and thought that’s something I’d really like to do,” she says. 

“I loved working in the kitchen but wanted to be more involved with the residents and their rehab, so wondered whether I could be a speech therapy assistant. I started helping out at first, but it was too much to do alongside my job. 

“Askham were really supportive and gave me the option to choose – I jumped at the chance to work in speech therapy.”

Now, having made the move in 2013, Bonnie is loving her role as a speech therapy assistant. 

“It’s such a valuable and rewarding role, and of course it’s not just about speech, it’s about swallowing, eating and drinking, really vital parts of their lives,” she says. 

“There are some very special moments, such as when you work with someone and they regain the ability to say their children’s names, or someone is able to follow a normal diet after having to have pureed food. It’s lovely to share that with them. 

“It is lovely to feel like you’ve made a difference to people’s lives and to see their progress.”

She remains grateful to Askham for the opportunity to re-train and move to a rehab role. 

“Askham were great and supported me with training on the job, and giving me the opportunity to complete some courses in speech therapy, which I did in my own time,” says Bonnie. 

“I’m so pleased it’s a move I’ve made, and Askham is a lovely place to work.”

‘I became a carer during the COVID pandemic’

Having resumed her career at Askham after taking a break to raise her family, Lisa Keel took on a role as a weekend kitchen assistant in 2018. After realising the work/life balance worked for her, with Askham accommodating her need for childcare-friendly hours, she took on a role working Monday to Friday. 

But having already progressed at Askham through her kitchen role, Lisa realised she would love to move again during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I’d spent my time at Askham watching the carers at work and wishing I could do more to help,” she says. 

“I couldn’t mix two jobs, so I decided I wanted to challenge myself and move into care. 

“Although it was during a very difficult time, I was already working within a care home setting and just felt I wanted to support the care team, and especially the residents. I knew I wanted to put all I’ve got into it.”

So in September 2020, Lisa, with support and training from Askham – including specialist brain injury training – moved to become a carer. She recalls how difficult yet rewarding that challenging time was. 

“This was at a time when residents couldn’t see their families, which was heartbreaking, but we as the care team effectively became their families during that period,” says Lisa. 

“Just being there for them was so important, to support them with their physical and emotional needs. When a resident had COVID, I was put in the isolation team, which meant that one resident needed even more support during what was a particularly difficult time. 

“You were so conscious of that fact that you were the only people our residents were seeing and you wanted to do all you could. It’s your job to make sure they’re safe and happy, and that was never more important than during that time.”

Through the dedication of Lisa and her colleagues during the pandemic, Askham’s care and rehab regime was able to continue, and residents progressed despite the challenges. 

“We do get a lot of appreciation and ‘thank yous’ from residents, and their families too, many of whom we were able to keep in touch with their loved ones through using tablets and screens during isolation,” says Lisa. 

“It’s very hard to say goodbye, as much as you also want them to leave and move on in their lives, but you do establish a strong bond. It does make you feel very proud to be a carer and to know the contribution you have made.”

‘I was supported in relocating from India’

Shainy Mathew was living in India in 2011 when an opportunity to relocate to England and work in nursing came up. Initially working to complete her adaptation programme having moved from overseas, Shainy became a registered nurse around eight months later. 

Initially moving to Cambridgeshire alone, leaving her husband and baby in India, they joined her shortly afterwards, at which point Askham offered their assistance in supporting the family. 

“My husband had to work too, so I was able to do my hours around his, which worked well for our childcare. My flexible shifts meant we could organise this,” says Shainy. 

“If my son was ill or I had problems with childcare, I would call the lead nurse and was told not to worry, they would support me. Although we were here on our own with no family support, Askham felt like our extended family. 

“The transition process in moving to a new country for the first time was often challenging, but I have been supported in every way. I have never felt pressured or unsupported because of childcare and I’m so grateful for the help I have been given over the years. 

“The management and my colleagues were fantastic and so supportive. It made moving to a new country and being able to work a really good experience.”

Through Shainy’s dedication to her role in nursing, on the retirement of the long-serving lead nurse, she was offered the position. 

“I was delighted to be offered the role as lead nurse, it was the service I knew and loved working in, but just with more responsibility. It was a great opportunity for me,” she says. 

“Askham gave me the time to spend with the lead nurse before he retired, to work with him and learn more about the position I was about to take over. I was also given extra shifts to ensure I was fully prepared. That meant it was a very smooth transition for everyone. 

“I got the chance to speak with one of Askham’s directors, Aliyyah-Begum Nasser, and the management team about the promotion and they were all confident that I could do it – and I am really loving it.

“As lead nurse, you have two days where you work on the admin, which is very different, but is very responsible in reviewing care plans, medication records and funding matters. It is a vital role and one I really do enjoy – and I still get plenty of opportunity to be with the patients.”

And it is the interaction with the patients that continues to inspire Shainy as a nurse. 

“You see what they go through and the progress they make, and it is lovely to feel you play some role in that,” she says. 

“You feel very much valued, there is a lot of happiness and job satisfaction in what we do. This is a great environment and a very positive working environment, and I love my work with the patients. 

“I’m very grateful for the support I’ve had since I came here, and the opportunity for promotion. Askham is a great place to be.” 

‘A secondment made me want to pursue a rehab career’

Having joined Askham in November 2018, initially in a part-time care assistance role, Stacey Hawkins was keen to progress – particularly after seeing the power of rehab through a secondment opportunity. 

“I was offered a four-month secondment, where I worked with all four disciplines – physiotherapy, psychology, speech and language and occupational therapy,” she says. 

“I learned a lot from this and really enjoyed it. I got so much insight into the sessions. A position came up for a rehab assistant, and having seen how much I loved working in rehab, I decided that’s what I wanted to do.”

Stacey was successful in her rehab assistant application, which she took up in September 2021, being given full training on-site to equip her for her new role. 

“I read all the assignments for each Individual and look at what their goals are, we then work on these and build exercise plans and explain the treatment we feel is right for them,” she says. 

“This is different for everyone, as everyone will have different needs and outcomes, so we work on finding the best and safest equipment and ways to do it. We often have to demonstrate to patients what we would like them to try, and we have to be calm, understanding and always listen.”

And the role is giving Stacey new levels of job satisfaction. 

“I love being able to make a difference to people’s lives and seeing them achieve all they can in their rehab goals,” she says. 

“Seeing the gratitude on the people’s faces, and their family members too, is priceless. The feeling is unreal to see people progress in their own ways and give someone their independence back. 

“But while I absolutely love this role, I feel just as valued on the rehab team as I did when I was working on the care floor. Askham is one big family, and I’d say thank you to everyone here who has helped me on this journey.”