Martin Plowright has always been a people person, before moving to Guernsey with his wife, he used to run a coffee bar in the Isle of Wight. Now he runs St John HealthCare, providing expert advice about things that can help make life a little easier.

“What I enjoy about this job is the connection you have with the community. I definitely feel we can make a difference to help change people’s lives for the better” he said. “I might not have experienced what they are living with, but it’s about empathy. I think I’m able to relate to different customers and recognise their individual needs. I like to take time with people, listen to their stories and then give a range of options”.

Our customers appreciate Martin’s work too. Emma said Martin was warm, empathetic and informative at a time when she needed a compassionate ear. “He showed St John to be flexible with timings, went out of his way to communicate options and get the best prices while making sure we knew what we needed to know when we needed to know it. At a time of stress he was calm for us. I could have hugged him”

Part of Martin’s role involves working alongside Occupational Therapists and other healthcare professionals. OTs will assess a patient’s needs and Martin is trained to visit people’s homes and help advise on what adjustments can be made or products purchased to allow someone to stay independent and mobile in their our surroundings. “I’ve got to know what equipment will best suit a particular need, so I can advise on the best options. Sometime people want to install everything, but sometimes there are simple and less expensive alternatives, which I am able to suggest”.

St John HealthCare is the official Stannah supplier for the Channel Islands and one of Martin’s other roles is to carry out surveys, advise on which lift to get and install the equipment. “A Stannah lift can make a huge difference to people. You can see by the look on their faces that they are impressed and that’s often accompanied with a sense of relief that a barrier has been taken away and their home is accessible again” he said.

Recently Martin was able to arrange the short-term hire of a wheelchair for someone visiting from the UK. The wheelchair helped enable to person to bring their disabled son holiday in Guernsey. “They gave me a bottle of wine, just to say thank you”.