Sue Johnson

Group Operations Deputy Manager

I began my career in the caring industry for people with learning disabilities at the beginning of 1998 with the NHS. Prior to this I cared for many children along with my own two.

If I am honest, it was my mother who pointed out the vacancy in the paper, so I applied. Being successful at interview I was offered a position as support worker, and I duly accepted.

During my time with the NHS, I paid attention to focussing on the Deputy Manager role, I knew if I wished to pursue this, I would be required to complete the minimum of Level 2 & 3 in NVQ which is what I did. The Deputy Manager at that time decided to move on, so I applied for the position & was successful.

The Government then announced the Social Care Change Project, meaning the NHS no longer felt that people with learning disabilities needed to be under their umbrella. This led to a lot of consultations and trying to find providers that would take on the people we were supporting whilst trying to keep them together as a group as most have lived together for many years. Sadly, we only managed to keep 5 out of 10 together, and they all moved into Ferndown 12th January 2012.
A few of our team applied for jobs within Strada Care to maintain continuity of care, none of us could bare the thought of both the trauma of moving and no familiar faces to see. So again, I started as support worker, but to cut a long story short I have now progressed once more into the Deputy Manager role.

Over the years I have applied for both a career in nursing and the paramedics, on both occasions I did not pursue these careers, I was happy looking after the service users I care for.

My personal hobbies and interests have always been Horses, all animals (I have rescued more than I can count) & gardening. However, firstly the most important thing to me are my “Families”.