This week, we’re handing over the blog to Parklands Care Homes to celebrate their 30th anniversary! A multi-award-winning care company with homes across Moray and Highland, this week they’ll be sharing their proud history and their ambitious plans for the future.
Read below to find out about their recent successes and exciting future projects.
Bold plans for business
We have just recently acquired two care homes in Moray – Weston View in Keith and Wakefield House in Cullen – after the previous operator went into administration (sadly, a reflection of the difficulties facing the social care sector). We’re nevertheless upbeat about the potential of both homes and we have recently announced a £1 million investment to bring them up to the Parklands standard. We are also working on plans to expand Lynemore care home in Grantown and hope to confirm these in the coming weeks. Longer term, we have plans to develop new care facilities in Elgin, Turriff and Alford.
We’re very excited about our plans for a new integrated care hub in Inverness. Work started in December 2021 on a new 58 bed care home. Sadly, the main contractor commissioned to build the home went into liquidation, so the project has been on hold for several months, but we’re back on track and construction work is set to resume very soon.
Inverness will be our flagship development; as well as the care home, we will build a later living village comprising 11 two bedroom bungalows for sale to older people who still wish to live independent lives. The later living village will be closely integrated with the care home – home owners will be able to attend social functions in the home and the care home will provide a range of services, including landscaping, house maintenance, bin collection and laundry services. This is a first for Parklands and, indeed, for the Highlands.
There is a third element to our care hub. Inverness currently faces a scarcity of rental housing options, and the existing quality is subpar. In response, we have announced plans to build 24 rental properties which will be made available to Parklands’ employees and potentially other care workers.
Recognising Success
We were delighted to win three awards at the 2022 Highland Business Awards – the award for Innovation, Highland Business of the Year and Business Leader of the Year. We have also been shortlisted for a number of care awards this year. It’s truly gratifying to be honoured with these awards because the recognition means so much to our team. Parklands was also the subject of a recent Motion in the Scottish Parliament, tabled by Rhoda Grant MSP. We have it framed in all of our care homes – it serves as a reminder to staff that their hard work is valued by the wider community and has been recognised in the Scottish Parliament.
We are particularly proud of the recognition we have received from the sector regulator, the Care Inspectorate. Seven of Parklands’ nine care homes rated by the Care Inspectorate have been awarded a 5-star (very good) rating for the way they support residents’ well-being. Parklands & Burnbank has received the highest possible score (6, excellent) for ensuring that residents get the most out of life.
Parklands’ homes are renowned for their warmth and hospitality, and their sense of fun. From tea parties to Pride events, care home choirs to community play schemes, our homes are also very much rooted in the communities they serve.
Chamber connections
The Chamber has always been a strong voice for business. Whether large or small, the Chamber has always been the principal defender of business interests in the region. Parklands is investing heavily in the Highlands and we would welcome the opportunity to hear from businesses across the region that might wish to join our supply chain. With 11 care homes across the Highlands and Moray, and more in the pipeline, we are keen to explore opportunities to work with local suppliers, wherever possible. We take great pride in sourcing from local suppliers.
We would encourage every business to join the Chamber; you achieve so much more by working together, and the Chamber has always been skilled at raising the issues that matter to business and holding politicians to account. We have always found the Chamber team to be hugely supportive so if we had one ‘top tip’ it would be to get to know the Chamber staff, harness their skills and expertise and don’t be afraid to boast about your business success using their excellent communications channels.