New care home manager re-joins trust where she started her career 27 years ago

A care home in South Cerney has welcomed its new general manager who is "delighted to be back."

Shelley Hearn who has been working in the care sector for 27 years originally joined the Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT) in 1995 as a weekend housekeeper before progressing her career to training lead, head of dementia care at Windsor Street Care Centre in Cheltenham, deputy manager and home manager.

In 2019, Ms Hearn left OSJCT to work for another care provider in Cheltenham where she achieved a ‘good’ rating at its first CQC (Care Quality Commission) inspection. Now, three years after leaving OSJCT, Ms Hearn has returned to the trust as general manager at The Lakes Care Centre.

Ms Hearn said: “I'm delighted to be back.

“The trust is a great place to be, with established central teams and so many people to call on for support, [it] leaves me free to concentrate on running the home, nurture positivity at The Lakes Care Centre and focus on providing the best care for our residents.

“The training for our teams within the care home is thorough, and employees have many opportunities to progress, learn new skills or take on responsibilities.”

OSJCT has a team of admiral nurses which means extra support is available for employees and families of residents who are living with dementia.

Ms Hearn said: “I go to work to care for vulnerable people. It’s important we create a safe environment for them in the place they call home and focus on giving residents a quality experience each day.

“I enjoy helping residents to live fulfilling lives. Finding out what makes each individual shine takes time and patience, and I enjoy sitting with them to chat, find out about their likes and dislikes and observe their body language.

“The Lakes Care Centre is our residents’ home, and I want it to be a happy environment. When the staff are happy, the home is happy.

“I’m so pleased to be here, we have a great team here, plenty of support and resources available from the Trust and a very engaged community.

"This year we plan to host more events and visitors, and invite the community to enjoy this safe, vibrant, and well-run home.”

click here for more details or to contact The Orders of St John Care Trust