Jonathan Short

 

Job Title: Primary Care Specialist
Location: Regional

I joined Advantage Healthcare in April 2007, working as a Support Worker on a temporary basis for the Norwich branch. Before joining Advantage I worked with people with traumatic brain injuries, empowering individuals to live independently after their accidents. This role lead me to my Support Worker role at Advantage Healthcare.

 

After registering with the Norwich branch I was then asked by the branch manager if I would like to work part time as a Branch Consultant. This was an ideal role to help me develop my recruitment skills and learn how to approach delivering healthcare in an effective and professional manner. After working as a Consultant for 2 years, the role of Senior Branch Consultant became available and I was encouraged by the Branch Manager to apply for the position. I was successful and happily under-took the role until the Branch Managers position became available in October 2009.

 

When I applied for the Branch Manager role, the senior management team were very supportive and came to see me personally to discuss the opportunity. I was given good advise but most of all I was given an opportunity to further my career and experience.

 

In my role as Branch Manager I was able to enhance my management and interpersonal skills with clients and branch staff leading towards more satisfactory outcomes. Though I enjoyed my position as Branch Manager, my real strength lay in working directly with the clients. For this reason, I applied for the position of Primary Care Specialist when it became available on the internal vacancies.

 

I was encouraged by the Operations Manager to develop myself and take on the new challenge as Primary Care Specialist, even when it was clear it would have an impact on the branch I was leaving. This was a liberating approach which isn't demonstrated within many organisations. I was given an opportunity to develop my career without obstructions being put in front of me.

 

I enjoy the interaction with all levels of people from decision makers to service users. Also the small successes which happen most days; the phone call from a client to ask how can we deliver a service, to the implementation of a big package; each is relevant in its own way.

 

The best thing about working for Advantage is the encouragement I've received to become a more complete, able and skilled employee. Even when the organisation could have suffered by me leaving a branch I was still treated fairly and given opportunity to progress without barriers.