Senior team unveiled at new Tring care home

A new care home in Tring has announced the appointment of its Home Manager and Customer Relations Manager ahead of its opening.

Clare Hedge will be taking the reins as Home Manager at Care UK’s Eggleton House, on Miswell Lane, when it opens its doors in August.

Clare brings with her 31 years of experience in the care sector, including 24 years as a Home Manager. She has previously commissioned six care homes and joins Care UK from her most recent role as Group Commissioning Manager.

Her professional qualifications include the NVQ Registered Managers Award, alongside experience as a dementia care mapper and trainer and NVQ assessor.

Clare said: “I was aware of Eggleton House being built and was keen to apply due to Care UK’s strong reputation, including having more care homes rated ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission than any other provider in the UK.

“I share Care UK’s passion for residents and value the training and support provided to teams, which enables team members to deliver the best possible care.”

Clare describes strong leadership, clear communication and compassion as key to her role, alongside championing person-centred approaches and supporting teams to grow professionally.

She added: “My favourite part of the day is spending time chatting with residents about their experiences and memories. My door is always open, and I look forward to welcoming residents and their loved ones to Eggleton House.”

Alongside Clare will be Customer Relations Manager, Gemma Gittens. Alongside having previously held the same role at a Care UK sister home, Gemma is also experienced sales, and previously owned her own childcare business.

Gemma began working with Care UK after searching for a role which would allow her to combine all of her experience into a sector which would fulfil her on a deeper personal level after experiencing the process of finding care for her own grandparent.

Gemma said: “One of the things I love most about this role is chatting with the residents. All sorts of incredible things have happened to them – there’s always something new to learn about their lives and on my morning walk it's great to hear what they are most looking forward to that upcoming day.”

Angela Zuraw, Regional Director for Care UK, said: “Eggleton House represents an important investment for Care UK, and we are delighted to welcome Clare and Gemma to lead the home.

“Clare brings extensive experience in commissioning and managing care homes, as well as a strong commitment to person-centred care. Having the right leadership in place is essential to creating a home residents and families can trust, and both Clare and Gemma’s knowledge and approach will be invaluable as Eggleton House prepares to open.”

Designed to enable residents to lead active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Eggleton House will incorporate plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies. The layout of the building will be configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.