Cera plans to train its home care workers to become nurses and offer nursing care

Home care workers at Cera will be able to train and qualify as nurses, as part of an initiative to offer telehealth nursing care to those needing treatment at home for complex conditions or long Covid.

One of the UK’s largest home care providers is expanding its home care service by offering remote as well as face to face nursing care.

The company, which employs a team of over 6,000 across more than 70 locations, will be partnering with the NHS, local authorities and GPs to reach people who need nursing care.

It is part of its overall ambition to move more and more aspects of healthcare out of hospitals and into people’s own homes.

Cera plans to employ existing nurses as well as train up its own care workers to become nurses for its expanded offering.

Karen Healey, who recently joined Cera as head of Nursing Business Development, said: “We’re hugely proud to be able to offer professional carers an opportunity to expand their skill set and clinical qualifications.”

Having worked first-hand at the forefront of clinical services, she believes this is a “real opportunity for Cera to make a positive difference in the lives of those living with complex conditions, by providing accessible support from qualified nurses, particularly in communities where they otherwise might struggle”.

The company will be partnering with a number of leading universities to offer clinical training courses.

Ben Maruthappu, co-founder and chief executive of Cera, said: “The chronic shortage of nurses in the UK very much mirrors the issues we face from a social care perspective, and we’re excited to help try and solve these two issues in parallel.

“More broadly, the pandemic has accelerated an already marked shift in healthcare services moving out of hospitals and being delivered in people’s own homes. This approach consistently leads to better health outcomes, as well as increased efficiency and reduced costs.

“Expanding our own services to include nursing is a natural next step for our growth, as well as in our overarching mission of empowering people to live longer, healthier and better lives in their own homes.”

Users of Cera’s nursing services will have their vital signs and key health data points monitored remotely, allowing nurses to identify and react to changes in health conditions much quicker than traditional methods.

They will also be able to interact with qualified nurses both in-person and remotely.

Cera has grown to be one of the UK’s largest home care providers, since launching in November 2016. Through England, Scotland and Wales, Cera delivers more than 30,000 home care visits every day.

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