7 April 2026
Across Abbey Health Care, collaboration between teams plays a vital role in maintaining high standards and continually improving the experiences of our residents. Our northern homes regularly share ideas, knowledge, and support, creating a strong network that enables teams to learn from each other and deliver exceptional care.
This spirit of collaboration can be seen across Kendal Care Home, Farnworth Care Home, Kenyon Lodge Care Home, and Heron Hill Care Home, where managers and teams regularly exchange best practices and support one another to enhance the quality of life for residents.
By working closely together, these homes are able to strengthen care standards, develop innovative approaches to resident wellbeing, and ensure every resident feels valued, safe, and supported.
One of the most recent achievements across our northern homes has been the recognition received by Heron Hill Care Home, which achieved an Outstanding rating in the “Caring” category during its latest inspection by the Care Quality Commission.
For Nicola, the success reflects the home’s strong commitment to person-centred care.
“Delivering person-centred care at Heron Hill Care Home means placing each resident at the heart of every decision, ensuring their routines, preferences, and personal choices shape the support they receive. Staff work closely with residents and their families to plan tailored care, promote independence, and adapt support as needs change. This approach is reinforced by a compassionate and inclusive leadership culture that prioritises dignity, individuality, and consistently high-quality personalised care.”
Nicola also emphasised how everyday practices play a significant role in supporting residents’ wellbeing.
“Daily well-being at Heron Hill Care Home is supported through compassionate interactions, personalised routines, continuous monitoring of changing needs, nutritious meal support, and a safe, reassuring environment. These practices help residents feel valued, connected, and secure, while reflecting the CQC’s ‘Caring’ and ‘Responsive’ standards.”
At Heron Hill, teamwork often goes beyond routine care to create meaningful experiences for residents.
Nicola shared a memorable example of how staff worked together to ensure a resident could attend a special event.
“A great example of teamwork making a real difference was when staff came together to help a wheelchair-bound resident attend a concert they had been looking forward to. With no wheelchair-accessible transport available in the evening, we arranged to borrow a mobility vehicle so the trip could still go ahead. One of our wellbeing team members even came in on her evening off so the resident had familiar, trusted staff by their side. Thanks to the team’s flexibility and genuine commitment, the resident was able to enjoy a memorable night out that would otherwise not have been possible.”
Stories like this highlight the dedication of staff and the importance of collaboration in ensuring residents continue to enjoy fulfilling and meaningful lives.
Collaboration across the northern homes has also contributed to strong performance in quality monitoring and service delivery.
At Kenyon Lodge Care Home, Farnworth Care Home and Kendal Care Home the team recently received an overall outstanding report through external audit reflecting the home’s commitment to maintaining high standards of care and governance.
Emma Rogers highlighted the importance of collaboration in achieving these results.
“Maintaining excellent standards of care is very much a team effort. Being able to share ideas and experiences with other homes within Abbey Health Care allows us to continuously learn and improve. It creates a supportive environment where we can build on each other’s strengths and ultimately provide better outcomes for our residents.”
Strong leadership is key to maintaining consistent standards across the region. Managers across the northern homes work closely together, sharing experiences and supporting each other in addressing challenges and implementing new initiatives.
At Kendal Care Home, manager Graham believes collaboration plays a crucial role in strengthening care delivery.
“When managers work together and openly share their experiences, it benefits everyone. It allows us to implement new ideas more effectively and ensure that residents across all homes benefit from best practices.”
Similarly, at Farnworth Care Home, manager Jayms highlights the value of having a supportive network of homes.
“Having a strong connection with other homes means we can support each other and continuously raise the standard of care we provide. It creates a positive culture where teams feel encouraged to grow, innovate and deliver the best possible experience for residents.”
Another example of how collaboration benefits residents across our northern homes is the shared use of minibuses. Farnworth Care Home and Kenyon Lodge Care Home share a minibus, while Heron Hill Care Home and Kendal Care Home also work together to make the most of their transport resources.
Having access to shared transport creates more opportunities for residents to attend events, enjoy outings, and connect with people beyond their own home.
Recently, residents from Farnworth Care Home visited Kenyon Lodge Care Home to enjoy an entertainment event that had been organised for residents. During the visit, a touching and unexpected moment occurred when one of the Kenyon Lodge residents was reunited with a Farnworth resident who had been a close friend of her husband many years ago. The reunion was a heartwarming reminder of the power of community and the connections that can be rediscovered through shared experiences.
On another occasion, Jayms and his team arranged for some residents from Kenyon Lodge to travel to Farnworth to attend a birds of prey show that had been organised at the home. These kinds of shared activities allow residents to experience something new while building friendships across homes.
Having access to the minibuses also allows teams to take advantage of last-minute opportunities more frequently. Whether it is attending an event at another home, planning a spontaneous outing, or joining in on a special activity, shared transport ensures residents can enjoy a wider variety of experiences.
Through initiatives like this, our northern homes continue to strengthen their connections and create meaningful opportunities that enrich the lives of residents.
Across Kendal Care Home, Farnworth Care Home, Kenyon Lodge Care Home, and Heron Hill Care Home, the shared mission remains clear: to provide compassionate, person-centred care in environments where residents feel respected, valued, and truly at home.
Through collaboration, strong leadership, and dedicated teams, our northern homes continue to support one another in raising standards and delivering the highest quality care for every resident.