A care firm’s managing director who started her career in West Cumbria is celebrating 20 years’ service.
Alison Donaldson is managing director of Barchester’s North West & Midlands division.
She joined Barchester in January 2006 as general manager of Newlands Care Centre in Workington.
She was asked to move to Lanercost care home in Carlisle and from there she was promoted to senior general manager, regional director, before she was made senior regional director.
Now as MD, she is in charge of 68 care homes across the North West of England and stretching into the Midlands.
Originally from Workington, Alison started her career in care at the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, Cumbria in the late 1980s and became a nurse.
As Alison’s career in nursing progressed, she then studied for her advanced nurse practitioner degree while working as a general manager for Anchor Housing and finished the three-year programme just after she joined Barchester.
Alison said: “I can’t quite believe I have been with Barchester for 20 years!
“It really doesn’t feel that long at all but I know that it is because of the culture of the business, the invaluable support from the knowledge and experience of colleagues and the fact that we always put our residents first, that I’ve stayed for this length of time.
“We always provide the best possible care to our wonderful residents and the best training to our staff.
“Helping our regional directors and general managers to run our homes to the best possible standard is what motivates me each and every day. I am proud to be a nurse, I absolutely love what I do and it is a privilege to work alongside my fantastic teams.”
Barchester’s COO, Natasha Lazovic added: “I am incredibly proud of Alison’s achievements and her dedication to the business, she is always striving to improve her homes and to ensure her residents continue to receive the best possible care.
“She is an outstanding nurse, always putting her residents first and she sets an excellent example to her teams. Thank you for the last 20 years Alison, and here’s to many more!”
