Care home chief awarded MBE for her leadership during pandemic

Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald, UK chief executive of Sunrise Senior Living and Gracewell Healthcare has been awarded an MBE for services to healthcare in the Queen’s New Year Honours List 2021.

The New Year Honours List recognises a wide range of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom and this year Dr MacDonald is among the 1,239 people to receive an award.

Dr Macdonald has received her MBE in recognition of her 30-year career in the healthcare sector and for effectively leading Sunrise and Gracewell’s 46 care homes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the start of the pandemic, Dr Macdonald closed every Sunrise and Gracewell’s care home in advance of official government guidelines and established a Covid-19 Task Force where she implemented stringent infection prevention control measures.

Dr Macdonald who previously worked in acute medicine and in clinical research at Glasgow University said: “It is truly humbling to have received this prestigious award.

“Throughout my career, I have approached all aspects of my work with professionalism, compassion and abiding dedication and it is wonderful to have now received this special recognition.

“With the support of fantastic colleagues, I am proud that Sunrise and Gracewell has met the immense challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, our efforts have ensured residents across all Sunrise and Gracewell care homes received the highest possible level of care, always placing their wellbeing and priorities at the heart of everything we do.”

The Honours Committee also recognised how Dr Macdonald prioritised the emotional wellbeing of family members of residents. By introducing regular updates for relatives, she provided reassurances to family members regarding the safety of their loved ones and of the efforts the organisation was making to ensure their continued wellbeing.

Internally, Dr Macdonald established frequent cross-department calls and was available at all times to provide outstanding support and leadership to colleagues across the business.

Over Dr Macdonald’s 30-year career in the healthcare sector, she has provided an unparalleled commitment to the safety and prosperity of her colleagues and those she is responsible for. As a result of this, she has developed an enviable reputation as a competent, compassionate and highly effective leader within the sector.

As well as chief executive for Sunrise Senior Living and Gracewell Healthcare, Dr Macdonald is chairman of Nuffield Health and became a non-executive director at Riverstone Living in July 2020.

She has also previously held non-executive roles at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Private Health Information Network.