Episodes
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In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James of Springup PR speaks with Kevin Humphrys, CEO of the Oakland Care Group, which includes Oakland Courts and Oakland Grange in West Sussex.
Kevin is also the director of the West Sussex Partners in Care.
Kevin discusses the importance of leading by example, particularly in creating and sustaining a positive culture within care teams.
He shares his journey into social care, emphasising how diverse experiences have shaped his leadership style.
Kevin also highlights the significance of being approachable, actively participating in daily activities, and the value of transparent and empathetic communication.
He underscores the importance of mistakes as learning opportunities and emphasises consistent internal communication to foster a strong organisational culture
• Kevin emphasises the importance of leading by example to create a positive culture within care teams
• His path to becoming a CEO was winding, with experiences in recruitment, banking, and car hire before social care
• How Kevin's experience in various areas of social care has shaped his leadership style.
• Kevin highlights the need for leaders to be “approachable, participate in daily activities, and show genuine care for residents and staff”.
• Mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning and improvement; transparency and accountability are crucial.
• Effective communication methods include Teams, emails, intranet, and text messages to keep staff informed and engaged.
• The use of an app called “Vivup” allows for celebrating achievements and encouraging positive behaviour.
• Kevin emphasises the importance of “being present in the homes,” and spending at least one full day each week in each home.
• “A culture that values compassion, understanding, and time fosters a positive environment for both staff and residents”.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Karen Miller, CEO of Broughton House Veterans Care Village in Salford which specialises in care for service men and women and their families.
Having served as an Army officer for ten years, Karen spent the next 15 years in the acute independent care sector, managing hospitals and diagnostic centres across the UK and the Middle East.
After brief “retirement” at her Snowdonia smallholding Karen began speaking at Broughton House on a voluntary basis before becoming CEO in 2020.
In conversation with host Adam James of Springup PR, Karen discusses the challenges faced by charity care providers, including a lack of funding, outdated facilities, and the impact of COVID-19.
Throughout the episode Karen shares her expertise and leading analysis on how you can become more commercially viable while providing high quality care including:
• The challenges of deciding to build a new purpose-built facility with a shortfall in funding which was impacted by the onset of COVID.
• Entering the “chaotic” situation of COVID, reduced numbers of residents and a departed home manager and how “the best laid plans had not come to fruition.”
• The company had “run out of money” and how a they secured a small amount of working capital form the local authority to turn the situation around.
• How a further loan was required to stave off the challenges and undertaking a transformation of the operating model and a “radical rethink was required to weather the storm,” and turn things around.
• Setting clear costs for delivering care at Broughton House and the fees needed to cover these costs.
• Managing the risks for residents where the charity is responsible for care costs by looking at individual care costs over time.
• How as a charity they felt a need to “help at any cost,” which had become “unsustainable,” and the changes that were required to survive and continue to be able to care for as many people as possible.
• Having difficult conversations with the board about new parameters and guidelines for admissions including not taking on new veterans funded by the charity and distinguishing between those who need support and can self-fund.
• How the “camaraderie” of veterans allowed a smooth transition to a mixed funding model because “those who could afford to pay the full fee were putting money in to allow those who couldn't to share this amazing home."
• Emphasising the need for new operating models, risk management strategies, and a self-paying model for the care home, as well as the importance of staff recruitment and retention.
• Providing training for all staff, even long-serving team members, on processes, procedures and policies.
• Offering competitive salaries, and enhancing the living wage to provide a motivating work environment.
• Emphasising the need for new operating models, risk management strategies, and a self-paying model for the care home, as well as the importance of staff recruitment and retention.
• How the changes implemented have enabled the home to continue their vital work with veterans and provide high-level care.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Samir Patel, owner of Oaklands Rest Home and head of operations at two-care home provider Manucourt.
Samir is also Executive Board Member of Hampshire Care Association.In conversation with Adam James of Springup PR, Samir shares his knowledge on the importance of building and maintaining strong ties between care providers and local authorities.
Focusing on developing strong relationships which are mutually beneficial, Samir draws on his years of experience to explain how your care home provider can forge stronger ties with the local authority including:
• How mutual respect and understanding as crucial for meaningful outcomes in negotiations.
• Samir shares how respect and a professional attitude of understanding one another's problems is really important and trying to build those relationships.
• How membership with the Hampshire Care Association, representing 40-50 care providers, facilitates collective action and communication with local authorities.
• Working together to schedule regular face to face meetings among the group according to what works for each provider and holding honest conversations.
• The power of working collectively with the association, representing about 4,050 care providers in the county of Hampshire, and local authorities and how this has grown CQC ratings across the area.
• Samir reflects on challenges posed by financial constraints and fee negotiations, advocating for open and constructive dialogue and the importance of data.
• Despite political differences, Samir underlines the importance of maintaining focus on improving the quality of care by improving the sense of collectiveness and working together to help push the case and “leaving political flags at the door.”
• Samir shares his insights into the challenge of managing different types of people but that “change and challenge can also be a good thing and an opportunity.”
• “Inviting people into the home to help them understand the reality of what’s happening on the floor,” can help show people what challenges are faced by the care sector.
• Samir shares his insights on collective action during the pandemic and the need for ongoing communication and partnership.
• He talks about the Covid pandemic period and how the sector coped with “rapid change” and the strong need for the whole health patient care team to work as a unit.
• Samir advocates for certainty in financial planning, urging early and transparent discussions to provide stability for care providers.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Charles Cross, CEO Of Anglian Care and Ashley Care home care agencies, as well as the co-founder of Emma.ai.
Charles explains why he chose to take on the challenge of turning around Ashley Care which was rated inadequate by the CQC and how he turned it around by going undercover to assess the issues first hand.
Charles explains how through consultations and digitalising the existing paper-based system he was able to transform the company.
In this episode, Charles outlines the processes he undertook to enact change within the company as well as the future of AI within the care sector and how it can be utilised to improve care including:
• How to introduce a digital system to better capture care records, plans, audits and other documentation to address issues.
• How Charles went undercover under the guise of a consultancy firm to assess issues within the new acquisition firsthand.
• Utilising short meetings with staff across the company to better understand underlying problems and gathering feedback on areas for improvement which gave a “refreshing” insight into the company.
• Implementing pay rises for care staff, who are “at the heart of everything,” as well as increasing mileage rates, and providing more flexibility for shifts in changes geared towards improving working conditions.
• Working with the existing team to explain “we’re not looking to change everything, but we want to go back to square one and find out what’s working for you and what isn’t,” and how this attitude got staff on board with changes.
• Restructuring roles and responsibilities to address issues caused by decline in size and addressing motivation of remaining staff which is, “pivotal to the morale of the company to the engagement of your staff.”
• Educating and consulting with care staff on the benefits of upcoming digitalisation changes to gain support and how Charles urged the team to “stick with him” on changes that are designed to improve care and morale.
• Looking into offering additional training and development opportunities such as NVQ courses to care staff to improve morale, care standards and staff retention.
• Providing jackets and protective masks to care staff based on feedback from employee surveys because Charles believes that “staff need to know that their concerns are being taken on board and changes implemented."
• Providing 24/7 support to care teams through Emma.ai to retrieve information and alleviate pressure on managers.
• Continuing collaboration with the care sector and prioritising their feedback to develop Emma.ai's capabilities.
• Charles explains how he “doesn’t believe there is a place for AI devised care plans which dilute the data,” as Charles believes should be “person centred” and devised by people with first hand knowledge of individuals.
• How Charles “firmly believes that AI is the only answer to the crisis faced by the care sector,” and how it can be utilised to improve care.
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In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, host Adam James of Springup PR speaks to Lucy Corner, Managing Director of Cornerstone Care Solutions.
Lucy, a dual registered nurse with a background in the NHS, unravels the nuances of reviving care homes on the brink of failure through her extensive background in nursing and her proficiency in transforming struggling homes
Lucy provides invaluable insights for care providers seeking operational and financial success including:
• Lucy’s journey from managing nursing homes to establishing Cornerstone Care Solutions as well as how she found that she had, “a skill for the financial side and quite enjoyed the strategy of looking at failing homes.”
• The scenarios that often precede a care home's decline, emphasising the impact of high turnover among managers and staff and how it is often down to “issues with the culture and lots of whistleblowing staff, lots of incidents, accidents, problems.”
• Insights into red flags to watch for, including financial indicators like “late payment of wages” and quality red flags such as residents losing weight and developing pressure sores.
• Providers are urged to proactively monitor financial and quality indicators. Lucy recommends, having a second oversight of the service with an operations manager or a quality monitoring team.
• How external consultants can play a crucial role. Lucy emphasises, “We can do quarterly, six monthly or even monthly reviews of a service to let people know how they measure and whether they're improving, staying the same or getting worse.”
• Lucy stresses the paramount importance of prioritising quality care, and how “people need to know what's going on in their care homes.”
• With changing inspection methods, Lucy advocates a “robust documentation of improvement plans,” and evidence showcasing “continuous enhancements.” She explains how, with the new methodology with CQC, there'll be a portal that you can upload this evidence.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Story podcast features Zoe Fry OBE, founding director of The Outstanding Society, who discusses her journey in social care, from a care assistant at age 13, becoming a nurse, and eventually purchasing and operating her own home, Valerie Manor, in West Sussex.
Zoe created a culture focused on high standards of care, empowering staff, and making them feel valued. This led to happy staff, happy residents, and glowing CQC ratings.
Zoe outlines her success in being very hands-on as a manager and owner, leading by example, fostering teamwork and support amongst staff, recognising and playing to people's strengths, and investing in staff wellbeing and training.
In this episode, Zoe shares her top tips and strategies on how she built and sold her CQC-rated “outstanding” home and now shares advice with other care providers including:
• “Empowering staff to come up with suggestions and improvements” because happy staff means happy residents.
• How Zoe’s vision was to provide a high standard of care that would be good enough for her own relatives.
• The importance of providing support and training while playing to you teams strengths and “providing the support for them and the tools to do their job very well”.
• How Zoe looked to create roles that played to the strengths of her team.
• Gaining managerial skills through working in the NHS and embracing new areas for learning in finance and HR with help from peers.
• Leading from the front and how Zoe would never ask anyone to do something she wasn’t prepared to do herself.
• Knowing your team's needs, adapting support accordingly, making staff feel valued and promoting peer support and teamwork.
• Why Zoe sold her home to another provider committed to maintaining its culture.
· The formation of the Outstanding Society, which aims to support the driving up of quality across the whole of England, and how it helps other care providers through sharing their expertise.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Tom Hartley, managing director of Carterwood, which represents 85% of the top 20 UK care providers in their efforts to grow their business through market and data analysis.
On the episode we discuss the outlook for care providers in 2024 - with some operators trading well while others are struggling with squeezed margins and the key factors behind this polarisation being exposure to self-pay residents, staff recruitment success, and location.
Tom outlines how his analysis shows occupancy should stabilise in 2024 but a change in government and regulations could pose unique challenges for the sector.
Tom also explains a number of growth avenues for care providers including NHS partnerships, machine learning and artificial intelligence and how best you can harness these opportunities.
Throughout the episode Tom shares his expertise and leading analysis on how you can position your care provider for success in a changing sector including:
• How Tom sees a “polarisation” in the sector with some operators thriving and others struggling.
• The key reasons behind this split in the market and how they will affect different providers.
• How trading conditions “will continue to be very difficult” but could be “very rewarding” for those in the right part of the market with exposure to private paying clients.
• The impact on fee rates and how Tom expects these to stabilise.
• The impact of new regulation frameworks and a possible change in government.
• Whether social care should be seen as a priority for an incumbent government and the impact of revisiting care funding reforms.
• The importance of “exploring closer links with the NHS” and how Tom would advise all providers to explore this avenue.
• Tom shares how “half of care providers are still operating with pen and paper systems” and how digitalising systems can offer avenues for both efficiency and growth.
• The lasting impacts of COVID and how care homes can use digital care planning going forward.
• The benefits for care providers of utilising data and how this has been something the care sector has “not fully embraced”.
• Being efficient with how your staff’s time is best used and getting the maximum benefit for resident care and the operational side of the business.
• The potential opportunities for a three-star care offering that isn’t defined as luxury in a world of rising development and building costs.
• The opportunities presented by AI and how these could be harnessed for the benefit of your care provider
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In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Adam James talks with Shaleeza Hasham, Director of CHD Living and CEO/Founder of the Adopt A Grandparent charity.
Shaleeza shares her inspiring journey, detailing the origin of her family's care business and the creation of Adopt A Grandparent which combats loneliness by connecting volunteers with older adults.
In the episode Shaleeza:
Recounts her family's immigrant journey to the UK, highlighting how her parents, refugees in the late '70s, established a care business, CHD Living, driven by a desire to give back to the community. This led to the conversion of a training centre into a 15-bed nursing home. Explains how growing up in the nursing home “instilled values of patience and respect” for older people. After pursuing education and work outside the care sector, Shaleeza returned to social care due to her passion for it. Describes jow “Adopt a Grandparent” initially started as a local initiative in 2019, inviting young people to spend meaningful time with those in care. The concept gained traction, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown prompted a shift to virtual interactions, resulting in a “remarkable” response of over 40,000 volunteers. Driven by the alarming statistic that 23% of older people face premature death due to loneliness, the charity garnered international attention. Over 100,000 volunteers worldwide have registered, emphasising the “widespread impact and the diverse motivations” of participants, ranging from those without grandparents to individuals seeking to combat their own loneliness. Discusses the challenges faced in managing and expanding the program, emphasising the need for care providers to “commit to safeguarding participants,” and how a mandatory training program for volunteers ensures “effective communication” with people living with dementia and an understanding of adult safeguarding. Acknowledges that as CEO of CHD Living - a multi-site care operator – there is a difficulty in dividing her time. While her business projects take priority, her passion for Adopt A Grandparent “drives her to balance the demands of both roles.” Explains how the charity's vision involves “growing its impact, developing technology for faster volunteer pairing, and establishing a champion role for each care group or region.,” and that the use of AI in pairing, akin to a dating app, aims to streamline the process. Describes, future aspirations for Adopt A Grandparent, include providing bursaries for vulnerable individuals and unpaid carers. Shares her insights into grant writing, highlighting the importance of learning and seeking advice in the charity sector. Care providers and potential sponsors can visit the charity's website, adoptagrandparent.org.uk, to find information, and get in touch. -
This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Issac Theophilos, owner of care consultancy Outstanding Care Homes having himself run an “outstanding” care home.
Issac shares how care home managers can achieve an outstanding CQC rating through leadership and culture, a coherent vision for improvement, studying CQC criteria and staff empowerment.
Issac discusses what practical steps you can take to implement a winning culture at your care provider and the importance of continual learning in achieving that outstanding rating.
In this episode Isaac shares his wealth of experience and his tips for success including:
• How achieving “outstanding” starts with the directors having a vision for continuous improvement.
• Managers must develop their CQC knowledge beyond the level 5 diploma and “speak the same language as the inspectors.”
• Managers should study CQC regulations and rating characteristics in depth as well as preparing evidence.
• How a care provider’s real culture shows when managers are away. “That's when the most successful care homes start running,” says Issac.
• “Attitude and emotional intelligence matter more than experience,” so offer progression rather than small pay rises.
• How outstanding homes also have areas to improve and identifying examples in each CQC domain that go "above and beyond”.
• “Productivity helps managers avoid distraction," and how a work/life balance and structured prioritisation enables you to support residents and staff.
• How regulations frequently change so managers should dedicate time for their own development.
• Ensuring you “prioritise frontline leadership training and identify any gaps in CQC standards.”
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In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Ameet Kotecha, founder of Boutique Care Homes, discusses how care home design is vital for quality care provision.
Ameet shares insights into his 20 years of experience in designing, developing, and operating care homes.
He emphasises the importance of good design in enhancing residents' lives, especially those living with dementia.
Ameet discusses design elements such as signs, lighting, colour palettes, and outdoor spaces, highlighting their impact on residents' well-being.
He also touches upon the differences in design between residential and dementia care areas, stressing the importance of staff training to meet residents' specific needs.
Furthermore, Ameet emphasises the role of ethos and values in care home design, advocating for a warm, loving environment where trust and transparency are vital.
On the episode Ameet:• Explains why good design is essential for person-centred care.
• How to design for people with memory issues, when around 70% of care home residents live with dementia or memory loss.
• Talks through the importance of meaningful outdoor which “add significantly to the quality of residents' lives.”
• Reveals the importance of good wayfinding signage.
• Explains the differences in design for dementia vs. residential areas with attention paid to functionality as well as being “visually stunning.”
• Explains the importance of internal colours and how these should be calming which makes a home feel relaxed, not “like an institution.”
• Explains how, “It’s about trying to make care home spaces as homely as possible while meeting the needs of individuals.”
• The importance of focusing on “creating a community, not just a care home,” with “a proper, authentic, person-centred care philosophy.”
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast discusses how care providers can design homes that are optimised for both residents and staff.
My guest is Avnish Goyal, chair of Hallmark Care, which was founded 27 years ago and operates 20 homes across England.
Avnish is also CEO of Savista Developments and Santhem Residences, a retirement living venture in Sheffield.Committed to delivering outstanding relationship-centred care in luxury care homes, Avnish is also at various stages of planning for sites in Brentwood, Ingatestone, Billericay, and Bromley with more high-quality sites of one to three acres being sought.
In this episode Avnish discusses his own journey from accountant to the care sector, and also shares secrets to how you can build your own care provider through making a positive difference to residents with innovative designs and high-quality facilities as well as a commitment to staff development through training and strong processes, including:
• The importance of building a quality team, implementing strong systems and processes, and providing the right equipment for delivering great care.
• The recruitment process at Hallmark Care Homes being values-based, and how they offer a strong induction to ensure staff are well-prepared.
• How the company has introduced a real living wage for all its care homes.
• How Avnish addressed retention and recruitment difficulties by supporting staff with a cost of living crisis support fund and bonuses during COVID.
• The importance of placing a strong emphasis on training and development, including dementia programs and leadership training.
• How the company organises empowerment days to connect team members with the ownership and reinforce family values.
• Avnish also shares insights into building new care homes with innovative designs, spacious rooms, and en-suite facilities.
• The way they have focused on creating dementia communities that don't feel institutional and are visually appealing.
• How food quality and presentation are essential for resident satisfaction, and they hire trained chefs.
• Avnish also highlights the Championing Social Care initiative, which aims to celebrate and enhance social care and raise funds for charity.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Johann van Zyl, CEO of Cornerstone Healthcare, the UK’s fastest growing specialist care start-up.
Johann’s passion for healthcare and deep love for working with and leading people led Johann to discovering his calling in the sector.
Cornerstone Healthcare operates three specialist nursing homes in the south of England, with two more due to open in the south west in early 2024.
Under Johann's leadership, the company has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Health Investor ‘Complex Care Provider of the Year’ in 2020 and 2021 and ‘Specialist Care Provider of the Year in 2023’, and has become a leading operator in the specialist care sector.
Despite much of the company’s operation being during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cornerstone Healthcare is the UK’s fastest growing specialist care start-up, having increased turnover by 91.6% from £12m in 2018 to £23m in 2023.
In this episode Johann examines his approach to business, his particular perspective, the importance of staff retention, creating an environment where employees feel safe and supported as well as offering hybrid hospitals to bridge the gap between hospitals and care homes including:
• How Johann started in mining exploration, but found his passion in healthcare
• The secrets behind launching a fast-growth specialist care provider.
• The importance of having a well-formulated idea, a strong business partner and an investor or equity backing.
• Why ensuring staff feel safe and supported is key to retention, alongside comprehensive training and aiming to be one of the top employers.
• How Cornerstone Healthcare prioritises the well-being of its staff, maintaining a low staff turnover rate, and a high level of staff satisfaction.
• How success is attributed to a unique focus on providing specialised care for people with challenging behaviours associated with progressive neurological conditions and mental health issues.
• Plans to achieve significant growth through a combination of mergers and acquisitions, purchasing existing facilities, and developing new purpose-built homes.
• How ensuring competitive pay rates has contributed to the company's success in retaining high-quality staff.
• The impact of a niche focus on their substantial growth, maintaining an impressive occupancy rate and ensuring a strong presence in the sector.
• How Johann’s dedication to the well-being of both the residents and the staff has been a driving force behind the company's rapid growth and success.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Samantha Crawley, CEO of Bracebridge Care, a provider focused on creating care homes that provide exceptional living and working environments.
Samantha is dedicated to building a culture of excellence and ensuring that care homes become places people are proud to be a part of.
With over 25 years of experience in the care sector, Samantha has been a strong advocate for vulnerability in leadership, believing that leaders should “stay real” and admit when they don't have all the answers.
Samantha emphasises the importance of building a network of trusted individuals who can provide valuable expertise and support and highlights the significance of succession planning and developing future leaders within the organisation.
In this episode, Samantha shares her thoughts on leadership, including:
• Emphasising the value of “staying real” and admitting to feelings of imposter syndrome.
• How building a team of trusted individuals who excel in areas where the leader may lack expertise is crucial.
• Succession planning and how empowering team members to give opinions and share ideas is key to developing future leaders.
• Why Samantha believes vulnerability and honesty about challenges can foster growth and inspire confidence in team members.
• Why leaders should focus on leaving people feeling inspired, energised, and wanting to work with them.
• Why holding oneself accountable for interactions and learning from mistakes is essential for growth.
• Vulnerability in leadership does not equate to weakness; it is a sign of strength.
• How different leadership styles can be learned and adapted depending on the situation and individuals being led.
• Why seeking knowledge and understanding from leadership books, such as those by Simon Sinek and Brené Brown, can enhance leadership skills.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Helen Baxendale, Clinical Director at Exemplar Healthcare.
Helen is a registered nurse with a background in the NHS and social care and has worked in various roles within the care home sector, including nurse, deputy manager, home manager, and operational management.
She worked for Bupa for 10 years, eventually becoming an ops director, before returning to her nursing clinical roots.
Five years ago, Helen joined Exemplar Healthcare as the clinical director, focusing on caring for people with complex needs.
In this episode, Helen discusses how she has helped Exemplar in striving to deliver the best possible clinical and social outcomes for residents including:
• The importance of tracking clinical outcomes in nursing homes, such as infections and wounds, to ensure the physical health of service users.
• Avoid hospital admissions whenever possible, considering the complex mental health issues of the individuals in their care.
• A focus on individual goals and aspirations of service users, aiming to provide a sense of home and support until the end of their lives.
• Prioritising helping service users achieve their goals, whether it's maintaining communication with family, going on holiday, or engaging in everyday activities.
• How a research project on friendship and sexuality revealed the majority of service users aspire to have friends.
• Maintaining communication through a service user ambassador group, allowing for feedback, ideas, and support to be shared across 42 homes.
• Robust governance processes and digital transformation efforts, ensuring consistent standards and quick response times across a multi-site organisation.
• Weekly group calls and clinics via Zoom to provide support and upskilling opportunities for service users, families, and staff, addressing various topics and improving outcomes.
• How the clinical team, including clinical nurse managers and specialist nurses, closely collaborate with care home staff to monitor and support the clinical needs of service users.
• Forging a strong interlink between the clinical team and operations team, leading to effective outcomes in care provision.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features John Godden, MBE, CEO of Salutem Care and Education, a leading provider of care and education services.
With a strong passion for improving the lives of others, John has dedicated his career to making a meaningful impact in the healthcare and education sectors, and was awarded an MBE for services to the care sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
John's leadership has been instrumental in shaping Salutem Care and Education into a provider focusing on a person-centred approach and commitment to promoting independence, choice, and dignity for the individuals it supports.
Under his guidance, the company has expanded its services, establishing a strong presence in the care and education sectors across the country.
By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development, John ensures that Salutem Care and Education remains at the forefront of delivering good-quality care and education services.
In this episode John shares his thoughts and experiences on uniting the cultures of different care providers, including:
• How Salutem Care and Education was formed by merging three private providers and one charity provider, with the goal of creating one successful specialist care provider.
• Bringing together different providers with their own cultures and challenges into a single organisation with its own culture.
• The strategy incorporated acquiring existing operators that need upgrades in management, capital, culture, and environments.
• The importance of creating a unified culture appropriate for the care sector
• The process of building a culture involved distilling the shared values through conversations and identifying the right set of priorities.
• Overcoming hiccups included changing behaviours, addressing reticence to corporate involvement, and balancing employment packages for different services.
• The dedication and resilience of the care staff during acquisitions.
The podcast also discusses the importance of open communication, feedback loops, and facing challenges head-on to create a positive and united culture in a specialist care provider.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Bhavna Keane-Rao, Managing Director and a founding member of BKR Care Consultancy.
With over 23 years of experience with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and 13 years as a care consultant, Bhavna has established herself as an expert in the care sector.
Bhavna's expertise lies in helping care facilities improve their services using her deep understanding of the challenges faced by care providers and assists them in navigating the complex regulatory landscape.
With her extensive knowledge and experience, Bhavna has successfully supported care providers in transitioning from a "requires improvement" status to achieving an "outstanding" rating.
In this episode, Bhavna offers practical solutions and guidance to providers, ensuring compliance with regulations and enhancing the overall quality of care and helping providers achieve excellence in their services.
This includes:
• The secrets behind going from "requires improvement" to "outstanding" in the care sector with real-life case scenarios and Bhavna’s expertise on improving services.
• The importance of recognising indicators in the governance system and addressing them promptly.
• The challenges of not knowing what you don't know and how CQC regulations can change over time.
• The issues care providers often face due to lack of training, despite their efforts.
• The advice Bhavna gives to providers to document interactions with inspectors and raise concerns through emails to establish a timeline.
• How legal advice can be sought if a provider believes the CQC report is inaccurate or unfair.
• How providers should avoid sending an action plan based on feedback before challenging the draft report, as it can limit their ability to dispute the findings.
• Draft reports and how they can be influenced by the information and evidence providers provide during the process.
• Building a strong relationship with inspectors and engaging them early on by sharing positive feedback, discussions with stakeholders, and actions taken to address concerns.
• How by involving the manager and the community, and creating outstanding characteristics, this can contribute to turning around a "requires improvement" rating to “outstanding."
• Upcoming changes in CQC regulations, with the introduction of quality statements and a focus on the five key questions.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Aneurin Brown, Managing Director of Hallmark Care Homes, a leading operator of care homes and retirement communities in the UK.
Aneurin began his career in entertainment, working in live events and pursuing his passion for theatre and music before being introduced to Hallmark through a colleague and was immediately drawn to the care sector.
He joined Hallmark as a Hospitality Services Manager and quickly fell in love with the vibrant atmosphere and positive environment of the care homes.
A commitment to learning and a willingness to try various roles led to his rise within the company.
In this episode, Aneurin shares his journey from entertainment to care with a positive mindset and hard work and the transferable skills he has brought with him.
This includes:
• Transitioning from the entertainment sector to becoming a leader in the care sector.
• The power of referrals and the immediate attraction to the vibrant culture and positive atmosphere of Hallmark’s care homes.
• Passion, commitment and the importance of caring and enjoying the work in the care sector, along with the drive to continuously improve and go beyond expectations.
• Recognising the significance of teamwork and collaboration in both the entertainment and care sectors.
• Leadership at Hallmark and how the influence and vision of Chairman Avnish Goyal has shaped the company's commitment to high-quality care and constant improvement.
• Embracing a broad role and how a willingness to learn and take on various responsibilities, including auditing care plans has given Aneurin a well-rounded understanding of the care sector.
• His journey to success and progression within Hallmark by stepping up to fill vacancies, showcasing dedication, hard work, and a positive mindset.
• The belief that enjoying the work is essential for success in leadership roles.
• Hallmark's focus on continuous development, not only in terms of physical facilities but also in providing outstanding care and sharing initiatives with others in the sector.
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This episode of the Care Home PR And Marketing podcast features Simon Crowther, Managing Director of Tamar Homecare and Care Skilled Consultancy.
Simon specialises in investment, acquisitions, turnarounds and business development drawing on years of experience in the sector.
On this episode, Simon will be sharing his unique insight into how to accelerate growth in your care provider through fostering positive cultures, reducing staff turnover and bringing in more residents.
This includes:
• The importance of having a clear budget and knowing what you are looking for in a home care company.
• Different methods of finding businesses for sale, including working with brokers, utilising CQC and business intelligence databases, and leveraging social media presence.
• Examining the need for a well-established management structure and a good reputation in the acquired company as well as Simon’s preference for acquiring providers with a good rating from the CQC to focus on growth rather than full scale turnarounds.
• The importance of valuing a care provider properly, considering factors like EBITDA to give an overall picture of the health and suitability of a care provider for acquisition.
• The importance of having a management team in place and its experience with interviewing and assessing potential managers and deputy managers.
• Checking with the local authority to assess demand and contracting systems before entering a new area.
• The benefits and differences between serving private clients and local authorities, including profit margins and administrative efficiency.
• Managing relationships with multiple stakeholders, including service users, families, and local authorities.
• Marketing strategies for targeting local authorities and private clients, including filling tenders, business-to-business marketing, and business to consumer marketing.
• The effectiveness of PR, digital marketing, social media campaigns and offline strategies like flyer drops and advertising in local papers as well as hyperlocal marketing and search engine optimisation to help establish a strong online presence.
• The significance of building a positive company culture and the benefits it brings, such as reducing staff turnover, increasing margins, and attracting more residents.
• Targeting recruitment efforts towards people considering a career in social care and why they should choose to work for their company.
• Simon also introduces the concept of avatars, creating profiles of typical job seekers with different motivations, to tailor job advertisements and address their specific needs.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Clare Connell, CEO at Connell Consulting.
Connell Consulting is an award winning provider of commercial due diligence and strategic consulting in the health and social care sector.
Clare was selected for the HealthInvestor Power 50 list for the last 5 years. In 2018, 2019 and 2022 she was also voted Sector Expert by her peers on the Power 50 for her knowledge of the sector.
On this episode, Clare draws on her knowledge to share an insight on optimising the value of your care provider ahead of a sale.
This includes:
• The pitfalls and differences between specialist care and elderly care in terms of exits and risk, commercial due diligence, profit margins, and more.
• Exploring the challenges of staff recruitment and retention post-COVID with suggestions on focusing on areas with better job markets and affordable housing.
• Unveiling the secret to healthy profit margins, Clare highlights the significance of strong operators, high occupancy rates, motivated staff, and effective fee negotiation.
• For investors looking to buy care businesses, the quality of services, future-proofing, location, private funding proportion, and home manager strength are important factors.
• How the physical environment of a home as well as staff training and development can increase fees for your care provider.
• The age profile of residents, with younger age profiles being more attractive due to higher fees and easier refilling of vacancies.
• Discovering the essential steps to prepare for a lucrative exit, including maximising EBITDA, addressing underperforming homes, streamlining operations, and crafting a compelling growth story.
• Other key aspects to consider when evaluating a care provider for an exit including quality, fees, occupancy rates, growth plans, reputation, staff retention, and the length of time in service.
• Discovering how proactive recruitment, staff retention strategies, and smart cost management can boost your bottom line.
• How specialised care and residential elderly care have different considerations for investors, including the quality of services, future-proofing, local market competition, the strength of the home manager, and the age profile of residents.
• Prepare for the pitfalls in the process of being up for sale, the twists and turns that come with this and how to deal with them.
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This episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast features Tony Stein, CEO of Healthcare Management Solutions - the UK’s largest professional management company in the care sector.
Tony has over 20 years experience in care and has provided services to over 750 accounts with Healthcare Management Solutions.
A qualified chartered accountant with a strong background in finance, Tony has forged a strong reputation operating homes in partnership with local authorities.
On this episode, Tony sharing wisdom gained over the last 20 years and sharing his thoughts on care now and into the future.
This includes:
• How Tony helped form Healthcare Management Solutions off the back of the 2008 financial crisis to re-vitalise homes that had fallen into the hands of banks and insolvency firms.
• The impact of the current split between NHS healthcare funding and local authority funding for social care.
• The effects of having vacancies in care homes and not enough space in hospitals and how this is leading to people not receiving the correct care at the right time.
• What Tony would do to improve the situation including centralising funding for care and regulatory focus on providing safe, high level care across the board.
• Finding ways to end the postcode lottery surrounding social care through central funding but still allowing local authorities to commission the services needed in their areas.
• How health and social care are affected by an ageing population and how changes to the make up of our society are impacting the existing structures for care provision.
• Shifting the focus away from decisions that are politically prudent towards decisions focused on societal benefit.
• How we can learn from other social care systems around the world, but we still need to build a bespoke system that fits our specific requirements rather than copying other successful systems directly.
• The impact of the current assessment of people requiring social care and how that process in itself can be stressful and difficult for the person seeking care as well as their family.
• The need for regulators to ensure that care providers can both demonstrate their experience in the field and are moving with the times and modernising with the demands of the changes in society.
• The moral issues surrounding care and financing of care as well as the value of people who genuinely care working in the care sector.
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