Resettlement success

Forces: Royal Air Force

Jamie S - Flight Lieutenant

"Working in the care sector is certainly a challenge, but that is exactly what I want."

At Barchester Healthcare we recognise how the transferable skills and qualifications ex-Armed Forces personnel have can be used in our care homes and hospitals across the UK. Jamie Stubbs, General Manager at Barchester’s Ottley House in Shrewsbury served for almost 20 years in the Royal Air Force as a Nurse.

During his time in the RAF, Jamie served in Military hospitals in the UK and in overseas locations including the Falkland Islands and Iraq. At the height of his career Jamie reached the position of Flight Lieutenant Nursing Officer.

On leaving the RAF in 2014, Jamie considered how the qualifications, skills and experience he gained in the RAF could transfer onto ‘Civvy Street’. Jamie says, “There were a lot of opportunities, but I knew I wanted to work with people, so working in a care home was a good fit.”

“It’s been a huge culture shock, but it’s been worth it. During my career in the RAF my family and I had moved house 11 times; it was time for my children to settle into a school.”

“Working in the care sector is certainly a challenge, but that is exactly what I want. When I started as General Manager at Ottley House, the home had a few problems that needed a strong manager to sort out. Within my first 6 months I ensured we saw an improvement on our CQC report.”

“Barchester has completely supported me throughout my move onto ‘Civvy Street’. They helped make the transition as smooth as possible for me and my family. I have been given an amazing amount of autonomy to run Ottley House and in turn have given the same autonomy to my team.”

Jamie added, “Since I started, the team has definitely become stronger. Their belief in themselves has given them the confidence to take the career development opportunities Barchester provides. I am proud that two of my Senior Care Assistants have recently completed Care Practitioner training. I like nothing more than to see the team grow and develop so we can provide the best care we can for our residents.” More success stories