Chief Executive gets bottom-up view of West Midlands care home operation by spending ‘A Day in the Life’ of maintenance worker

The Chief Executive of a fast-growing luxury care home group got a grassroots perspective on how the company’s two West Midlands facilities operate, after spending a day plunging toilets and fixing running machines as a maintenance worker for the group.

Andrew Winstanley, Chief Executive of Berkley Care Group, together with HR advisor, Laurence Feather, and Vanessa Aldridge, Personal Assistant to the CEO, spent Tuesday working at Leycester House in Warwick as part of Berkley’s ‘A Day in the Life’ programme.

The trio spent the day working in the maintenance, carer, and bar teams respectively. While Andrew learnt how to keep the care home functioning, Laurence assisted the home’s senior carer team to deliver high quality care to residents with a variety of needs, including those requiring specialist dementia care.

Vanessa, meanwhile, learnt the ropes as part of the home’s bar and bistro team, whipping up everything from mochas to mocktails for thirsty residents.

The event formed part of a group-wide initiative in which Berkley’s head office staff undertook a variety of different roles across the group’s homes, including as carers, activity coordinators and senior home managers. The initiative is aimed at ensuring staff at head office have a full understanding of exactly what it takes to provide high quality care across Berkley’s portfolio of luxury homes.

Commenting, Andrew Winstanley, CEO of Berkley Care Group, said of the day: “This initiative has served only to reconfirm how proud I am to lead such a brilliant group.

“It’s essential that those of us leading Berkley Care Group as it grows know what it’s like to live and work in our homes. Whilst we regularly visit our homes, we don’t always get first-hand experience of the vital roles that are integral to our group’s continued success.

“There is no better way to understand what it’s like to work as a carer, bistro assistant, or as part of the maintenance team than to spend a day working alongside them.

“I’m grateful to the team at Leycester House for welcoming Laurence, Vanessa and me into their ranks, knocking us into shape, and showing us what it takes to deliver the outstanding levels of care we aim to provide throughout our portfolio.”

Berkley’s chief operating officer, Laura Taylor, regional operations manager Paul Brady, and chief financial officer Simon Penfold meanwhile spent the day with staff at Fernhill House care home in Worcester.

Paul spent the day on Fernhill’s busy reception team, dealing with the many incoming enquires the home receives for care provision. Meanwhile, Laura spent the day with the senior carer team and Simon manned the bar.

Laura Taylor, Chief Operating Officer for Berkley Care Group, said: “I’ve had a brilliant day today with the team at Fernhill House.

“My work with Berkley takes me to all of our homes but experiencing just how much effort our staff put in every day to keeping our residents safe and cared for reminds us just how exceptional our teams are.

“The care and attention they devote to residents is inspiring. Paul, Simon and I have come away from today even more appreciative of just what it takes to keep our homes running to such a high standard.”

A part of the French-listed Korian Group with a fast-growing portfolio of homes, Berkley Care Group is the UK’s leading luxury care home provider for those wanting to live well and have the time of their later life.

The group strives to enhance the lives of its residents by continually examining and re-looking at how it designs and builds its homes, from their locations to the construction materials, from the type of food served to the artwork in the foyer.