As one of UK’s leading training providers we have partnered with Somerset County Council and a fast-growing care company to help ease the industry-wide staffing crisis in residential care homes in the region. 

Harbour Healthcare has recently acquired care homes in Chard and Taunton and already owns three other care homes in the South-West. 

The company had been facing a shortfall in the delivery of its apprenticeship programme due to limits on the number of new learners it could enrol on training programmes each year. 

However, apprenticeship training provider Realise has been working with Harbour Healthcare to help bolster its apprenticeship offer through the ‘Gifted Levy’ programme, reaching an agreement for Somerset County Council to donate £42,000 to help directly fund the training of 14 Level 2 and Level 3 apprentices. 

“Apprenticeships can make a huge difference to businesses in all sectors but particularly in health and social care where recruitment and retention of staff has become something of a challenge. 

“Companies struggling to meet their apprenticeship requirements through the normal channels can pursue a Gifted Levy approach and that has worked extremely successfully in the case of Harbour Healthcare. 

“They have more than doubled in size in the last two and a half years and that has increased the importance of attracting, training and retaining staff. 

“Somerset County Council has been fantastic in stepping forward with a Gifted Levy donation and that has made a huge difference to Harbour Healthcare.

“Importantly, it will also help protect and enhance vital care services in Somerset and the wider south-west and ensure care homes are staffed by a dedicated, qualified and trained workforce.” 

“I am delighted the Council has been able to make use of the Gifted Levy initiative in this way and help fund the training of more than a dozen new care apprentices. 

“This funding will make a real difference by creating rewarding job opportunities for these apprentices and supporting Harbour Healthcare to provide a valued service, delivering a high standard of care for the residents of local care homes.” 

Harbour Healthcare has 20 care homes across the UK offering services including residential, dementia, nursing, mental health, and end of life care. 

Working in care can be hugely rewarding and offers the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives.

To find out more information about jobs available in the local care sector, visit: Health & social care Archives – Realise (realisetraining.com)