Neurological care provider, PJ Care, has introduced a ‘supercarer’ role to enable staff to earn £15 per hour.

The company, which runs three specialist centres for adults with progressive conditions and acquired brain injuries, has created 15 care practitioner positions to upskill staff to enable them to work more effectively. 

“We have been focusing for some time now on being able to better reward staff for the job they do, particularly in the face of rising wages from retailers and distribution centres,” said chairman, Neil Russell. 

“We now have the cost-of-living crisis to contend with and we want to be able to pay our staff sufficiently so there doesn’t come a time where they have to choose between a job they love and paying the bills.”

The new roles are also part of a career path that gives care staff the opportunity to progress to become a nurse assistant and even study for a nursing degree apprenticeship.

The company, whose residents are funded by local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups, has cut its profit margins and senior managers haven’t taken a pay increase to enable greater investment in meeting the needs of its lowest paid staff. 

A Living Wage employer, PJ Care is hoping to bring in the planned increased rate of £10.90 ahead of the deadline in May 2023 and is offering staff members earning less than £15 per hour, two winter fuel payments of £200 each.

“In the absence of any useful strategy from the government to fund appropriate increases in pay for care staff, it’s down to us to act,” said Russell. 

“We have a programme of study and competencies in place for these bespoke care practitioner roles as the people we care for have specific needs.  We are looking forward to the fifteen successful candidates getting started.”