May is 3,000th Service User

LOCAL homecare provider Optimum Care are celebrating their 3000th Service User of their Rapid Response Care service - with May McCullough, from Ballymena, being the person in question!

The company have been providing this service in partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust since 2018. 

The scheme is designed to help hospital patients return home with an interim care package to aid their recovery, or await a permanent care package.

The service provides a quick response to patients who are ready to return home after a stay in hospital. 

Since its inception the service have been rolled out through three key locations, Causeway, Ballymena and Antrim, and East Antrim and their surrounding areas. 

May is the 3000th Service User and last week Linda Mairs, Advanced Community Carer and Andrea Hill, Domiciliary Services Manager, called at her home to give the news. 

Andrea commented, “We are delighted to have reached this number of Service Users.  

“The service started in 2018 in the Causeway area and by December 2019 we expanded to the Ballymena and East Antrim areas.  

“We are thankful for the excellent staff we have in the offices coordinating the care of our Service Users, along with our team of incredible and dedicated carers providing the care.”

The service has led to many job opportunities with in these areas.

Optimum Care are one of only 90 employers in Northern Ireland who pay the Real Living Wage. 

Staff in this role are paid in excess of the Real Living Wage and are provided with company cars to get to Service Users homes to provide care. 

Group Managing Director, JP Watson said they are proud to be one of the few Real Living Wage employers in Northern Ireland.

“We continue to invest in our staff and provide them with everything they need to do their job well,” he said.