Exceptional home care starts with exceptional people

At Caremark Kirklees, we believe exceptional home care starts with exceptional people. The relationships our Care Assistants build with customers, families and colleagues are central to everything we do. That’s why we place such a high value on long‑serving members of our team. In fact, they are truly the backbone of our service.

In an industry where staff retention is notoriously high (turnover nationally is just under 30% compared to the national average of 15% in all sectors), we feel fortunate to have so many staff who have been with us for five or more years.

As of May 2026, almost a quarter of our 120 plus Care Assistants have reached a long service milestone. This includes several who have been with us pretty much since we started as a business 11 years ago.

For the people we support across Kirklees, continuity matters. Being cared for in your own home is deeply personal and seeing the same trusted care assistant on a regular basis brings comfort, confidence and reassurance. Our long‑serving Care Assistants understand that no two people are the same. Over time, they get to know individual routines, preferences and personalities. As a result, this allows them to provide care that is genuinely person‑centred.

Our staff become a familiar and trusted presence for relatives

This familiarity also helps staff notice subtle changes in wellbeing, mobility or mood. Often, it enables early intervention and better outcomes for the people we support.

At Caremark Kirklees, we don’t just support customers – we work closely with their families too. Long‑serving Care Assistants often become a familiar and trusted presence for relatives. This provides reassurance that their loved one is being cared for by someone who truly knows them.

These established relationships help build trust and open communication. This is essential when care needs change or when families need guidance and support.

Staff retention doesn’t happen by accident. We are proud to have a team culture where people feel valued, listened to and supported. This was demonstrated by the Team Culture Award we won at this year’s Caremark national conference. We beat off over 140 other Caremark franchises for this prestigious accolade.

Recognising the vital work our Care Assistants to every day

When Care Assistants choose to stay with Caremark Kirklees over the long term, it says a great deal about who we are as an organisation. It reflects our commitment to training, ongoing support, wellbeing and recognising the vital work our carers do every day.

We believe that investing in our people is one of the most important investments we can make. This is because when carers feel respected and valued, they are better able to deliver outstanding care to our customers.

We look forward to welcoming even more people to our Champions Club.

Here’s a breakdown of the staff who have been with us five years or longer. We are looking forward to welcoming even more members of our team who are closing in on this milestone.

11 years – Duncan Smith, Oksana Shimon

10 years – Judith Taylor, Bethany Foleher, Naseem Akhtar

9 years – Dan McDowell

8 years – Tracey Khadar, Ann Marie Foster, Jenny Quinn, Michelle Jackson

7 years – Jon Mitchell

6 years – Natasha Lamptey, Ghazala Akhtar, Saima Javaid, Josie Podesta, Muhammad Naqvi

5 years – Emma Teal, Fiona Smith, Katie Fowler, Emily Broadbent, Sally Brook, Helen Murray, Patricia Street, Rabia Medlock, Paula Mortimer, Sian Eady, Diane Kubler, Naseem Yunis

About Caremark Kirklees

If you would like to work for our family-run company and join our long-serving team, we would love to hear from you. Please call us on 01484 211281 or view our home care jobs in Kirklees where you can also apply online.