Holiday: plan cover early
Holidays are known in advance, so their visits shouldn't be a surprise. As soon as leave is agreed, list every visit it affects and start lining up cover. Agreeing cover visit by visit, and tracking how many are agreed, stops the last few slipping through.
Sickness: see the gaps at once
When a carer rings in sick, the first job is to know exactly which visits are affected and when the first one is. Prioritise by time and by need: a medication visit at 8am comes before a social call in the afternoon.
Cover with familiar faces
Where you can, cover with a carer the client already knows. A familiar face matters even more when the usual carer is away, and it makes the visit go smoothly.
Keep an eye on hours and travel
Cover often lands on the same reliable carers. Check it doesn't push them over their contracted hours, and that they can actually get from one visit to the next in time.
Questions
How much notice should carers give for holiday?
Many agencies ask for at least twice the length of the leave as notice, which gives time to arrange cover. Check your own contracts and policy.
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