National Health Service (NHS) was created so that everyone shares the burden of paying for health services offered by doctors, care workers, parents and dentists rather than the costs coming out directly from the ill or injured persons, which is the government-sponsored medical service, that everyone living in the UK can make use of without being asked to pay the full cost of the service.
What is Serviced Accommodation?
Serviced accommodation is a furnished property that is suitable for short and long term use. This form of accommodation can also provide hotel-like facilities. Like hotel services, every time your guests leave, you have to clean the rooms and change the sheets. Otherwise, you will have to get a cleaner and periodically change the linen when there are your long-term or short-term visitors if they are staying there.
Why is Serviced accommodation great for the NHS?
Being a part of the NHS and experiencing a hectic routine is quite reasonable for NHS staff. NHS employees can learn what works and don’t work well by communicating and listening to people who use health services. These changes can then be made to improve care for patients. Evidence also indicates that engagement may help raise health inequalities faced by some groups, such as people with learning disabilities.
NHS staff themselves have essential feedback to help them improve the way health services work in action. Often, staff collaborate with patients and health boards to ‘co-produce’ services that work best for everyone.
Serviced Accommodation for NHS during COVID-19 outbreak
Wilfried Zaha and his business partner Obi Williams have asked the Association for Serviced Apartment Providers ASAP to provide serviced apartments in the United Kingdom, where workers from the front line NHS will be accommodated throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
After finding out from an aesthetician in the NHS who was recovering from the virus in one of his properties how difficult it is for staff to be able to call near hospitals, the pair directly contacted the association via the London Evening Standard. Zaha and Williams offered their company ZoProperties 50 NHS apartments, and they got snapped up instantly.
Now, he is calling on serviced apartment providers and owners to open the doors to NHS staff who fight the coronavirus epidemic nationally to any empty and vacant apartments, saying: “We need property right now.”
Many of the NHS staff in London is being provided serviced apartments to avoid public transport that will probably help in lowering the risk of spreading virus more rapidly.
Benefits of Serviced Accommodation
- Comfortable Space
Staying in a serviced apartment will allow NHS staff to work, cook, relax and sleep, with an average of 30 per cent more space than a hotel standard. A typical one-bedroom apartment is approximately two times the size of the hotel room.
- Flexibility
The availability of facilities in the apartment will allow NHS staff to cook whenever they want, to work on time want and there is the additional room to entertain guests or meet everyone within your own private space and often accordingly. Apartments with more bathrooms and bedrooms can also be found that attach from one main living area and can fit well together for families, friends or groups.
- Washing and kitchen facilities
It’s convenient, cost-effective and great to have your kitchen if you have special food requirements. So, the serviced apartments have common laundry facilities, but most are equipped with their own washer and dryer that allow you to do your own laundry.
- Security
Serviced apartments offer privacy. Also, you can find 24-hour CCTV, safe access and often security staff around the clock. In this way, adequate security of NHS staff is ensured.
- Additional Facilities
Most properties offer the opportunity to order readymade hampers or welcome packs on your arrival as well as shopping services available where you can pick items for delivery. Likewise, NHS staff can buy and keep whatever snacks and drinks they want instead of wasting a lot in the in-room minibar.
- Serviced Apartments are Regulated
The representatives of the ASAP operator providing serviced accommodation have the right to participate in the quality accreditation program which ensures compliance with legal, health, safety and ethical practice core requirements. It helps you to remain comfortable!
Is there any criteria to get serviced accommodation?
There is no criteria just that you look after the property. You will be asked to provide staff accommodation when you apply for a new job, and the appropriate documentation will be sent to you at the conditional offer stage.
