Support Worker of the Year Award Winner | Joe Hartley, Team Leader

After celebrating his win at our recent NHC Awards 2023, we caught up with Joe Hartley from Amy Johnson House about his accolade.

What is your role at Northern Healthcare, and how did you get into it? 

I currently work as an Acting Team Leader at Amy Johnson House in Hull. I have worked as a Support Worker for almost 2 years, and when the opportunity to progress came up, I jumped at it!  

What attracted you to Join Northern Healthcare? 

I have worked in Healthcare for over 10 years – from residential care, community support, domiciliary and challenging behaviour LD services. When I applied for the Support Worker role within Northern Healthcare, I was drawn to the rehabilitation element and the overall proud values of the company. It was important to me to see that I was making a difference in people’s lives. I can confirm that through the arduous work of the staff at Amy Johnson House we continue to give our residents the skills and tools to succeed and move to more independent pastures.  

What do you enjoy most about your role? 

Being a part of something better than just the typical “care” setting. The people I work with have a great deal of influence on this. It is easy to maintain a poor situation for the people we support but much harder to improve. I have found Northern Healthcare to be a company firmly rooted in best practices. We have a vast workforce with a great wealth of knowledge to bring to the table. I have enjoyed working somewhere I feel valued and able to progress.   

What is the most challenging aspect of your role? 

The nature of the job itself comes with Its own challenges. Mental health is such a broad spectrum, and with that comes a varying degree of issues. As a Support Worker/Team Leader, I’m always striving to work in partnership with external professionals to advocate for our residents and their mental health to the best of my ability, this has given me the drive to work my way up and further influence their journey so that I can pass on the values of NHC.

How do you and your team support each other? 

I work with a remarkably diverse, supportive, and positive group of people. I truly feel we have each other’s backs both in and out of the work setting. Whether that be meeting socially for a drink or moving house, I am proud to say I am part of the AJH family.  

What makes Northern Healthcare stand out? 

The fact that I know residents will move on when they are ready! For someone who has worked in most aspects of care/support, this is the first work setting where this has been the focus.  

Please let us know about a standout memory from your time at Northern Healthcare. 

On my first ever day working for NHC I was asked to attend a team meeting where our very own CEO, Ashley Mancey-Johnson, greeted a group of new starters. For me, this was unheard of! I have worked with some of the largest providers of healthcare in the UK and only ever found the CEO to be an almost feared entity sitting behind a desk somewhere else in the country, never to be seen or heard. It was then obvious to me that all of NHC’s workforce share the same values and most importantly are in it together.  

What would you say to someone thinking of joining Northern Healthcare? 

Now is an exciting time to join an ever-expanding company. If you are lucky enough to be offered an interview, be prepared, and do your research because we know our stuff!  

Did you enjoy the NHC Awards ceremony? 

It was nice to put a face to some of the people I have spoken to but not yet met. A wonderful day in a great setting.  

How did you celebrate your NHC awards win? 

I went for drinks after the ceremony with some of the head office staff, again, putting a face to everyone.  

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We’re always looking for great talent to join our team here at Northern Healthcare.

Find out more about working for Northern Healthcare, and view our current vacancies here.