Personal assistance in the workplace can require very specific skills: the work place PA is a unique combination of a Personal Assistant in the “administration” sense of the word mixed with Personal Assistant in the independent living world. It is essential to attract the right person who can meet this challenge head-on and enable a PA User to carry out their job role effectively and efficiently. PAs in the workplace are usually funded through the Department for Work and Pensions Access to Work scheme, which can be found at the Employment Service.

The aim of the service is to provide a workplace PA that can be employed by ILA or directly by the PA User or by the PA User’s employer. PA Services has a track record of being able to recruit the right person for the job.

The Service:

• The PA User completes and returns a registration form and the signed terms and conditions to PA Services
• A copy of the job description and contract is forwarded to PA Services; if this is not available PA Services will establish these essential documents as recruitment cannot commence without them
• ILA will agree with the PA User an advert for the position and where the advert will be placed
• PA Services will manage all enquiries relating to the vacancy and no confidential information such as name and/or address of the PA User are revealed at this stage
• At the closing date PA Services will send the application forms of the PAs interested in the position on a CD Rom; the PAs’ contact information will not be provided at this stage
• The PA User informs PA Services of the PAs for interview, the date and time of the interview and the venue (which may be ILA’s offices) along with any specific requirements
• PA Services will contact the applicants to arrange the interview
• PA Services will forward a letter of confirmation with a map to each candidate
• PA Services will invoice the PA User for £225 plus the cost price of the advertising (the invoice is enclosed with the initial CD). This is a flat fee regardless of the number of PAs recruited (payment of invoice is required for the interviews to proceed)
• ILA will provide the reference checks, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, copies of driving licence, passport, confirm CRB status (ILA may charge an additional fee for this service)

• If the PA is employed directly by ILA the service is from £15 per hour