Francis Court care home welcomes new home manager

Home news

Mar 22, 2016

Care UK has announced the appointment of home manager, Mary Ann Ballesteros, who has taken to the helm of the team at Francis Court care home in Copthorne near Crawley.

Situated on Borers Arms Road, Francis Court is a modern care home designed to provide a warm, welcoming ‘home from home’ for up to 87 residents.  It provides a range of care services from respite and residential care for older people, to nursing and specialist care for those living with dementia.

Mary Ann joins Francis Court with responsibility for the day-to-day running of the care home.  Having started her career as a Registered General Nurse, Mary Ann brings 16 years of experience in the care sector to her new role, including 12 years in care home management.  As well as holding a degree in Nursing, Mary Ann has also completed several other professional qualifications including Leading Change in Dementia Care from the University of Surrey, and Leadership and Management from Gloucestershire University.

Commenting on her new position, Mary Ann said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as home manager at Francis Court, and I am excited to be leading a team of committed and compassionate individuals on behalf of Care UK.

“I strongly believe residents should be at the heart of everything we do here, and I will be leading the way in ensuring care is tailored to their individual needs.  The favourite part of my day is seeing members of the team engaging with residents, and communicating with each other in a person-centred way; and I will be focusing on getting to know residents to ensure we continue to support them to enjoy active and fulfilled lives

“I am looking forward to providing positive leadership, a clear direction and a dedicated, caring approach, and I will continue to listen to residents, their families and the Care UK team as I look at ways of improving the quality of life for residents at Francis Court.”

Angi Knight, regional director at Care UK, said: “Mary Ann’s appointment strengthens the team here at Francis Court and we are all very pleased to welcome her on board. Mary Ann is a hands-on manager who is clearly looking forward to being involved in all aspects of daily life within the home, and she is already driving standards to build on Francis Court’s reputation for quality, person-centred care.”