WAG’s tale of compassion helps secure a trip to The Lords
Date published: 23 October 2024
Pictured (left to right) are: Roxie Taj, Baron Palmer of Childs Hill and Badar Usmani
They make the news constantly - and are sometimes associated with the court room.
But Oldham’s version of a WAG is very different!
Because the co-owner of one of Britain’s most far-sighted and compassionate care companies, Roxie Taj, has just been commended as a Woman Achieving Greatness (WAG) in Social Care, at the House of Lords.
And aptly for a female in charge of looking after older folks she was saluted by the Liberal Democrat Baron Palmer of Childs Hills – the party’s spokesperson on pensions.
Over 85% of the social care workforce is female, and the Care Talk magazine WAGS scheme acts as both a forum and a means of honouring good practice.
And what impressed both judges and Baron Palmer was Visiting Angels’ radical approach to caring for people with conditions such as dementia, plus Roxie’s leadership – which involves heading-up the only caring company in Britain to offer employees a guaranteed annual pay rise.
“Baron Palmer was so down-to-earth and interested in what we were doing and the state of care in Greater Manchester” said Roxie, who along with husband Badar run the Featherstall Road South concern.
“The day also gave me the opportunity to meet so many inspiring people working in the care sector, I will be looking to apply some of the ideas we talked about here in Oldham, and you may find Visiting Angels’ philosophy being adopted elsewhere!”
New research by the Alzheimer’s Society has shown that just three in 10 families caring for those with dementia found it easy to access social care.
Fewer than 40% thought this support was satisfactory when they finally got it and, over half of carers were suffering mental health issues because of the pressure of looking after loved ones, largely by themselves.
“This is a situation we are not prepared to put up with,” added Roxie, “and it has been caused by a huge increase in need, a lack of resource for local authorities and poor pay and conditions for carers.”
Staff working for Roxie – from work placements to vastly experienced social carers – are given a career plan and are paid travel time including mileage.
Staff are selected personally and professionally, and crucially are matched with someone with whom they can build a close relationship.
The Visiting Angels aren’t just there to make sure medication has been taken, either.
As for being a role model for other female bosses, Roxie added: “I know celebrities always say it, but this honour is genuinely about the team and not just one individual.
"I do realise that things are getting better, with 40% of leading business boardrooms now containing women and if I can play a part in inspiring them, particularly when they are from the Asian community, to break the glass ceiling then that is a bonus, too.
"But Visiting Angels is first and foremost about its carers and the people they serve.
"We are together in that - and there’s no WAG fighting with handbags anywhere!”
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