Active Pathways is continuing to grow and develop and our new service, Brook House, is the latest addition!
Brook House is our supported living development, where we will be welcoming individuals with mental health needs, autism, learning disabilities and/or behavior that challenges. The service is located in Chorley, Lancashire. On the grounds of an old hotel, we’ve completely renovated the building to create 13 purpose-built and beautifully designed one-bedroom apartments.
Becki has joined us to lead a team of Support Workers and manage the running of the home, so we caught up with her to find out about her background and her future plans for Brook House…
What is your professional background?
“Upon leaving school I got a job as a cleaner in a residential & nursing home, I stayed with that company for 7 years and in that time, I became Care Assistant, Senior Care Assistant and then Regional Trainer covering the North West.
Alongside this I completed 3 years training to be a Mental Health Nurse at UCLan but, as with so many things in life, the plans changed and I never took up my position as nurse.
That led me to look for a change and I took a role as team leader supporting adults, in their own homes, with learning disabilities. Within 7 weeks I was promoted to Service Manager and I did this for a couple of years before getting another promotion to Senior Service Manager with a wider geographical patch to cover and also supporting people with physical disabilities, mental health needs and autism.
Latterly, I have been the Registered Manager for a vast area covering Morecambe to East Lancs, St Helen’s and Trafford. In May of this year I had my first inspection, as Registered Manager, with CQC and was able to retain a “Good” rating despite the patch having more than doubled since the last inspection in 2019.”
What attracted you to Active Pathways?
“I was attracted to the small, but growing, size and opportunity to grow with them. I like the recovery focus that the company has and the hands-on approach of the directors. And everyone I have come into contact with since joining has been so receptive and welcoming; it’s been really lovely.”
What are you looking forward to most in your new role?
“I love seeing people’s smiles and happiness when they achieve things that they have previously been told they wouldn’t be able to. I love helping people overcome obstacles, that are usually put in place by other people, to do what they want to do and how they want to do it. I love making the world adapt to people, rather than people adapting to the world. This goes for the people I support and also the team I lead.”
What are some of the challenges you face as a manager?
“Sometimes I test my own time management skills; I really enjoy seeing the people I support flourish and enjoy their lives and I can get side tracked by that and push some of the boring paperwork things to the side. I get it done but it causes me a little bit of stress in process.”
What are your future plans for the services you manage?
“I’m in a really privileged position of being trusted to shape, open and grow a brand-new service. I’m really looking forward to creating a service which others look to for inspiration, everyone would feel happy and comforted knowing their loved one was there and that is respected by CQC and the local authority.”
And finally, how would you like to see your role evolve?
“I’m aiming to open and stabilise this service, see it through it’s first two inspections (of which, at second inspection it’d be rated Outstanding), mentor a new manager to take over and then support the company with replicating this model of support and opening more services at the same high level of support, accommodation and recovery.”
For more information or to make a referral to Brook House or to any of our other services, please contact Lisa at Lisa.Mullineux@Active-Pathways.com