17th November 2021
Travel allowance and staff meals introduced for Powys care workers
Orbis Education and Care introduces new benefits for those in Wales’ largest county as care sector finds new ways to continue supporting the nation’s most vulnerable
Orbis Education and Care has introduced a travel allowance and meals at work for its Powys employees as it works to ensure some of the county’s more vulnerable residents continue to get the support they deserve.
Those working at Summergil House in Presteigne, and at Ty Bronllys near Brecon, will receive up to £600 a year in recognition of the distance they are required to travel in supporting residents in Wales’ largest county, and will also have their meals provided on site moving forward.
Orbis Education and Care is the largest independent provider of care and education services for those with a diagnosis of autism in Wales. It runs 16 schools, residential homes and facilities for children and adults with associated complex needs.
Zahra Conway, Chief People Officer at Orbis, said the scheme was not intended as a ‘thank you’ but more a respectful admission that those working in some of the country’s most rural areas often face challenges in doing their jobs aside from those already acknowledged within the care sector UK-wide.
“The very nature of our organisation means we understand more than most that the people we work alongside here at Orbis Education and Care really are the cornerstone of our business,” Zahra said.
“We see, on a daily basis, some truly heart-warming interactions that make us feel privileged to employ the many special people that we do, and we want to recognise and support those employees in a meaningful way wherever we can.”
“The new travel allowance in Powys is just one of the many ways we are working hard, therefore, to make sure the lives of those we are here to support, as well as our highly valued staff, are enhanced in every and any way they can be,” Zahra said.
A recent report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has urged the UK Government to better support the care sector in attracting staff, while an extra £162.5m of government money to boost the adult social care workforce was announced in response.
Orbis is offering a £450 annual allowance to colleagues living up to 15 miles away and £600 to those over 25 miles away from its Powys sites in recognition of the ongoing support and dedication the local workforce continues to provide amid wider spread pressures on the care sector UK-wide.
Suzanne Lawrence, Chief Executive at Orbis Education and Care said:
“We recognise that work in the care sector can be as challenging as it is rewarding at times, not least for those of us living and working in some of the most rural areas of the country.”.
“Powys is Wales’ largest county and also home to two of our largest residential homes and schools, which are both reliant on the hard work and dedication of our colleagues living and working locally.”
“A variety of factors are continuing to change the way we live and work nationwide, so it’s more imperative than ever that we continue to be proactive in our support of these challenges, therefore, not only as a means to safeguarding the wellbeing of our employees, but of the people we work to support too,” Suzanne added.
Orbis Education and Care is currently recruiting specialist staff to join its schools and care homes around Wales. Visit Orbis’ website for more information about the group and the vacancies: www.orbis-group.co.uk.
