Case studies

I engaged HCMS to manage a portfolio of 11 care homes over which I was appointed Administrator. The homes were underinvested, the staff teams demotivated, residents and relatives worried, and the commissioners, while desperate to retain the services, concerned as to the operational stability. I had no funding and no client to indemnify me, and the homes were purchased as part of a Ponzi Fraud scheme. HCMS quickly took control, implemented their systems, reassured staff, residents and relatives, and began the process of building back the confidence of commissioners. Quality has never been a concern, indeed one of the services was even nominated for a national care award. There are no easy wins in the social care sector but even in the most challenging circumstances HCMS’ experience and professionalism has allowed me to preserve and even improve the services and to see significant value on disposal. This engagement will become a prominent benchmark in how to trade out of complex insolvent situations for the ultimate benefit of all stakeholders.

I have worked with HMCS for over 15 years and have found them to have a well-established operation with a strong depth of skill and knowledge. They have run both groups and single assets for myself and my stakeholders. Their ability to take on a large number of homes at short notice is unrivalled in this market. Their team are dedicated and genuinely care about the ensuring the care homes are well run for the benefit of both the staff and residents. They are not afraid to raise difficult and challenging issues with you and bring sensible and pragmatic solutions. I would happily use them for future projects

On entering the industry in 2015, I was given responsibility for turning around a failing family business. I was introduced to Tony and the HCMS team and was immediately impressed and confident in their capabilities. I instructed the team to go into and help me work out where to start on getting the Close off Inadequate on a journey of improvement. HCMS supported in teaching, learning, quality assurance from the very first visit showing me what was needed to help The Close improve to the new fully Outstanding home that it now is. It was uncomfortable and painful seeing what we needed to do, however hearing it from such experts and being given the tools to support us achieve the results meant we knew we were on a good and productive path.   We have continued with monthly and now bi-monthly visits to ensure our service maintains the highest standards possible. We honestly thank HCMS for being part of our journey and for the support, guidance and reassurance they have provided from then until now and on into the future.

Whilst the reason for our visit today was to help you upgrade the gardens, I could not help but notice the improvements in the homes. How you found time to install the rooftop garden at home 1 goodness only knows and I really am most grateful to you for all you have done to move home 2 and 3 forward. The HCMS team, from Lynn downwards, has been most impressive, Tony, and, as you will appreciate, when you do something you have never even thought about before, i.e. passing a company over to someone else to run, it is a great relief when they show they are up to the job.

The recent management has made lots of improvements in the last 6 months or so to the internal appearance of the building, the conduct and professionalism of the staff, the quality of the catering, the activities and the general ambience of the home, it has a much more homely feel even having a family car. We visit daily at various times and there is always a friendly greeting and update on how dad has been and it's nice to visibly see the management on a regular basis with a very welcoming open door policy and also getting involved in a general day to day activities. Nobody wants their relative living in a nursing home but it is reassuring and comforting for us to know that dad is being well cared for and looked after.

We have worked successfully with HCMS on the administration of a number of trading care homes. Their hands on approach to managing the homes and improving the operational performance and compliance of the businesses was invaluable. Their experience of working closely and collaboratively with local authorities and the CQC provided stability in these businesses and assisted in securing key stakeholder support during critical phases of the assignments.

Epilepsy Society has worked successfully with Healthcare Management Solutions (HCMS) from January 2014 to February 2015. HCMS carried out an independent review of the Epilepsy Society residential care home services, identifying key issues and proposing solutions. Their hands on approach to managing the residential care homes, improving operational performance and regulatory compliance was invaluable. The HCMS team worked collaboratively with both the Epilepsy Society in house teams and external stakeholders to build trust and confidence. HCMS are to be commended. Sincerely & with very best wishes, Angela.

HCMS carried out an independent review of our clients healthcare business within a tight timeframe, identifying key issues within the business and proposing potential solutions. They drew on their strong links with the key authorities and overall their report and detailed numeric information proved extremely beneficial to both our client and the Bank.

We have been a client of HCMS for 2 years now, providing us with the equivalent of a professional Regional Manager to oversee and guide the operation of the Home. In that time I have to say they have given us much needed peace of mind, particularly as the regulatory regime has got so much more complex in recent years. Also, for a one-home business like ours it is invaluable to have access to their company resources, such as HR, which we couldn’t possibly afford to run in-house ourselves. I have no hesitation in recommending them to any care home operators who need to put their business on a more stable and professional footing.

Having been in the care sector for over 15 years as a specialised finance broker to the sector and then a decade as an operator, I am king of the cynics, especially when it comes to so called ‘consultants’. Not this time. I would urge operators who are tinkering on the edge of ‘shall I, shan’t I’ in terms of whether to instruct them or not to call me! Tony and his team have a wealth of knowledge born out of years of experience, but the most refreshing thing for me was they just ‘get it’. They know the issues we face and they know the pitfalls and how to avoid them, be it finance related or operational. Normally I would say tread carefully, but for me on this occasion, take some good advice and talk to them. Then you will understand what I am saying.