BOSSES at a care company which has set up in Inverclyde have announced they will create 35 new jobs in its first year.

Home Instead, a national brand which provides care for older adults in their own home, is in the process of hiring its first members of staff - and hopes to take on a further 150 over the next five years.

While the business has been set up to cover Greenock and North Ayrshire, director Liam McKitterick says that Home Instead's focus for their first year will be on growing the service in Inverclyde.

Since the former employee at IBM Spango Valley opened the new office the company has already received over 110 job applications.

He feels a lot of the enthusiasm Home Instead's emphasis on good quality care and commitment to a minimum visit length of one hour.

Mr McKitterick said: "What we've found has attracted the caregivers is the minimum of one hour.

"It's really appealing and important to both carers and clients that a good quality of service is delivered.

"I know how much it will help the local community to have a company nearby that can provide a supportive, understanding and caring pair of hands.

"I can’t wait to start making a difference to the lives of local older adults in the area."

Liam, who also previously worked in financial services in London, says he was attracted to Home Instead by his desire to work for a more 'people-focussed' company.

His colleague, care manager Julie Fulton, has 31 years of experience in the care industry and comes from Gourock.

She said: "In any other company I've worked in before, if you're sending a caregiver to someone's house they probably haven't met them before they turn up at the door that first time.

"It's different here - my role will be to take the caregivers to meet the client prior to their work starting, as well as doing the first shadow shift with a caregiver and quality assurance.

"We will be here to support people and we will value our staff - care's a hard job and we want to create a safe space where people can come and speak."

The pair have spent their first few weeks recruiting staff, networking with local community groups and organising a gift-giving Christmas event for local pensioners.

Mr McKitterick hopes that as Home Instead establishes itself it will have a positive impact on both its clients and the community.

He said: "We are a business, we don't survive without providing care, but we really want our caregivers and us to be part of the community.

"In five years time I would like to see Home Instead be the care employer and provider of choice here.

"I would love to see people value the care we provide and employees value working with us."