Personal assistants

A personal assistant, also known as a PA or a support worker, is employed by someone who needs social care, to allow them to live as independently as possible.

The difference between a personal assistant and a home care provider

A personal assistant is employed by you, where as a home care provider is an agency. Find out more about home care providers.

Personal assistants can help with a wide range of tasks including:

• assistance with bodily functions, for example feeding, refreshment, bathing, mobility and bed making
• monitoring and recording your temperature, pulse and breathing
• healthcare tasks such as dressings, catheter management and the administration of medication
• support to assist with cooking, cleaning and shopping
• social and leisure activities, attending appointments and paperwork
• assisting with looking after children, pets, gardening and your overall comfort and wellbeing
• support while you work or education and during leisure activities, for example meeting friends or going on holiday

A personal assistant is employed by someone who wants to manage their own care through direct payments, individual budgets from the council or are funding their own support.

This is about a person having control over their own life, by employing their own staff and organising their own services.

If you get support from a personal assistant you will be the employer of the personal assistant and you will have certain responsibilities.

There is help available to find the right personal assistant for you, and support with all of the employment arrangements.

• Contact the Self Directed Support Team on Self.DirectedSupportTeam@southtyneside.gov.uk, who hold a register of application forms from people interested in working as a Personal Assistant. This can be made available for you to have a look through or emailed on request.
• South Tyneside Council advertise Personal Assistant posts, see Personal Assistant job vacancies.
• Advertise in local press or the Job Centre.

As a Council we can't recommend or endorse anyone, you as an employer must carry out this process but we will offer any support if you need.