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Team spotlight: Terry Doctor

By 20 January 2021Borough Care News

What is your role at Borough Care?

My role at Borough Care is to make sure all of our residents are looked after, and all their needs are met. I assist them to get up in the morning, wash, get dressed and all the things we often take for granted that we can do for ourselves.

How long have you worked at Borough Care?

I have worked at Borough Care for seven months now. The time has flown by, but it always does when you’re enjoying what you’re doing!

What does a day in your life at work look like?

A day at Borough Care is hard going, but it’s also full of learning, listening, patience and a lot of understanding. It can also be heart breaking. On the flipside there is laughter, the residents all have their own personalities, and we have a lot of fun with them. It’s an incredibly rewarding job.

What did you do before you joined Borough Care? What is your background?

Before I joined Borough Care, I started my career at the age of 16 in manufacturing. I started on the shopfloor making safety equipment, working my way up to Quality Inspector and then into the laboratory, testing the products against high concentrated chemicals.

I travelled with the company spending weeks in Brussels, Middleburg and seven weeks in China, training in the process of making and testing of PVC gloves and chemical suits. I also liaised with the Ministry of Defence, attending exhibitions and speaking at conferences.

This career path didn’t agree with my home life, so I changed careers in 2000 to work in customer services, looking after accounts in the UK and Southern Ireland. I was there for 17 years until I was furloughed and accepted redundancy. It’s been a varied journey!

Why did you decide to work for Borough Care?

I decided to work for Borough Care as I wanted to do something totally different to anything I had experienced previously in my career.

I had an aunt who had cancer and then sadly suffered a stroke. I would always call in on my way home from work to change her dressings (I have been a St John First Aider for 20 years so the district nurse would allow me to do this) and then I would put her in bed. This experience led me to considering exploring a career in care.

What is the best part of your job?

The best part of my job at Borough Care is going home fulfilled, knowing I have made a difference for someone else. Seeing smiles on faces and making people laugh when you act daft or simply sit and chat, it all makes a huge difference. When you are told “I’m glad you’re here”, it’s priceless.