Veronica Barrett
Innovator
Roscommon Home Services
Ireland
Social
Rural Areas
Rural village
The innovation journey
Veronica Barrett is the Director of Services at Roscommon Home Services Home Care. This is a non-profit organisation that has been offering compassionate and professional home care services to families in the Midlands, West, and Northwest of Ireland since 1996. When Veronica joined RHS it had only 12 registered carers. During her 28 years leading RHS, through her dedication and business acumen, RHS now provides services to hundreds of clients and has over 300 employees. From the outset, Veronica focused on building the co-operative through securing contracts that would provide a stable financial income. The co-op’s not-for-profit ethos was a significant factor in securing a contract with government agencies and in gaining support and trust within the community.
The innovation impact
The aim of RHS Home Care is to provide quality-driven care that enables their clients to keep their independence and dignity while staying in their own homes. This is achieved by providing a range of services including private home care, dementia care, palliative care, live-in care, companionship, and overnight care.
RHS have recently experienced a surge in demand for their services and in January 2024 announced 490 job vacancies and expansion into a new region including Leitrim and Sligo. To meet demand, RHS organise recruitment drives. RHS attract employees by prioritising fair wages and staff are supported through: professional development opportunities; support from supervisors; staff discounts on car and tyre services; flexible working schedules and unlimited mileage; and travel time to attend each call. RHS provide updated information to potential employees regarding the benefits of caring as a career and also uses its platforms to promote the well-being of clients in the home.