New build
manager, the procurement and development leads and the interior designer, has “clearly defined tasks and deadlines”, she says, adding that everyone is then held accountable to these via regular meetings to flag what’s “on track, slipping, or needs extra support”. This means that relevant lessons from one
home are fed directly into the next. “As home manager I have my tasks. Our
procurement manager buys the big items, our designers specify the interiors, and Lee, our development lead, takes it from foundations up. We meet regularly and ask: what’s done, what’s late, and how do we fix it?” explains Donna. Charlotte explains this is done to ensure
each project doesn’t “try to reinvent the wheel”, but is also keen to highlight that each “ new build is another chance to do it better”.
When the British weather intervenes The Shirley site brought particular challenges. Charlotte explains how the former Prince of Wales plot had a “significant level difference”, and was beset by an unusually wet winter period in early 2026. “At one point, it was just a massive mound
of mud out there,” Donna recalls. “Ground works kept being pushed back because every time they dug, the weather turned, she adds. The solution was a mix of redesign
and sheer effort, the pair explain, with a temporary road created to move earth, and the contractor – DC Construction – throwing in extra resource towards the end. However, despite the setbacks, “handover
came just a week later than scheduled”, says Charlotte. “We’re very good at working to timescales
Clear signage, uncluttered layouts and thoughtful lighting all help more confident navigation
- you can’t control the weather, but you can control how you respond to it,” she adds.
Commissioning at a safe pace Inside the home, the same balance of ambition and realism is being applied to the “admissions strategy” for the 72-bed home says Donna. Heathfield Rose is being filled on a “slow
walk”: ideally one new resident a week in the early months, she adds. Staffing levels are deliberately high, she
explains, with three care staff (including a nurse and senior carer) on both days and nights, plus a clinical lead and a nurse deputy who works part of her week on the floor. The home is set to employ 90 staff when it hits capacity. “Everything at the moment is a first,” says
Donna. “Our first move-in, first falls review, first night shift. We learn from each one and adjust. We don’t want a wave of admissions that stops us delivering the ‘luxury’ and, more importantly, the safety, that families have been promised,” she adds.
Family-run and clinically led Ask any high-end care home operator about their philosophy and you’ll quickly hear familiar phrases: enablement, rehabilitation, promoting independence. So what actually differentiates Macc Care from its peers? For Donna and Charlotte, who have deep
experience of working across care groups, the group’s “ownership and leadership profile” makes the group unique as a large and growing luxury group because it retains a “family-run”, feel, with every home visited
14
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com July 2026
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