Care Home Resident on Top of the World

A Swansea care home resident fulfilled a long-held ambition when she travelled to London for a trip on the London Eye. 88-year-old Alma Thomas, a resident at the Southern Cross Healthcare owned Peniel Green care home, was accompanied by daughter Lillian and home manager Eileen Coyle-Jones for a VIP champagne flight on the famous landmark.

Bishop Praises Care Home Manager

The Bishop of Manchester visited a Southern Cross care home in Salford to personally thank home manager Sylvia Davies for her fundraising work for the residents. The Right Rev Nigel McCulloch conducted a church service at Pendleton Court care home, in Chaplin Close, and chatted to residents and staff during his visit.

Southern Cross Welcomes Government Dementia Strategy

Southern Cross Healthcare, the UK’s largest care home operator, has welcomed the Government’s focus on dementia diagnosis and care and is calling on other care operators to follow its lead with a person-centred dementia care strategy.

Southern Cross is leading the way with its approach to dementia care which focuses on the value, dignity and respect of the person living with dementia and their families and friends.

Click on the left to see our response to the Government announcement from one of our Dementia Consultants Colin Sheeran.

Stars Back Major New Initiative to Tackle Elder Abuse

Thousands of elderly care home residents across the country could be protected from the effects of abuse after the charity Action on Elder Abuse launched a unique new helpline, supported by the UK’s leading care provider Southern Cross Healthcare.

VIP’s Visit Lomond Court

On the afternoon of Saturday 11th October, staff and residents of Lomond Court Care Centre in Glenrothes welcomed Nicola Sturgeon, the Health Secretary for Scotland, with Ross Vetriano (a local MSP for Woodside) and Peter Grant (Councillor for Glenrothes) for afternoon tea.

Don’t miss the Bus!

Hopton Court Care Centre in Leeds has always taken an active approach to helping its service users out of the home and into the community. For a small group of residents who suffer with dementia this had always been difficult as when they left the front doors of the home they became bewildered and lost and wanted to go back to their familiar surroundings.

Regency Care Centre is Blooming Marvellous

Southern Cross is delighted to announce that the winner of its annual gardening competition, "Blooming Marvellous", is Regency Care Centre in Manchester. Blooming Marvellous is open to the 730 homes within the Southern Cross group and attracts a significant amount of interest from service users, relatives and staff alike.

Birch Tree Manor Care Centre Welcomes its First Residents

Birch Tree Manor is a brand new, purpose built care centre in the delightful village of Port Sunlight in The Wirral. As part of the Ashbourne Senior Living group, the care centre provides nursing care for older adults who are experiencing physical frailty as well as providing specialist dementia care. Built to a demanding specification it has 62 comfortable, furnished bedrooms with their own en-suite wash rooms.

Official Opening of Geanann Care Centre, Dungannon

Linda Brown, Deputy Secretary for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) joined invited guests on Tuesday 12th August 2008 to mark the official opening of Geanann Care Centre for older adults in Dungannon, Tyrone. The service has been developed to provide Nursing Care for older adults and Geannan is also a specialist centre designed to meet the needs of people with Dementia related illnesses.

Southern Cross Times July 2008

News and developments from around the country, including a word from all our Managing Directors and news on a ground breaking project to tackle elder abuse in our care homes nationwide. Click on the thumbnail on the left to read the latest issue of the Southern Cross Times.

Approved Statement from Southern Cross Healthcare Group PLC

Bill Colvin, Chairman, wishes to clarify the impact of the change in the Southern Cross share price, on service-users and staff:

Southern Cross Healthcare Group Plc, is an excellent business, supporting nearly 33,450 residents/service-users with high quality care.

We are absolutely committed to continuing to operate our portfolio of care homes, nursing homes and specialist centres, and to deliver the highest standards of care possible.

Southern Cross Healthcare Group plc is a robust organisation that has grown steadily over a period of years, developing a quality reputation and setting high standards of service to residents, relatives and employees. The health care business has proved to be cyclical in the past and we are confident that it will be very much business as usual going forward, with individuals continuing to experience high quality care and support.

Mini Bus Presentation at Mossview Care Centre

On 16th May at Mossview Care Centre in Huyton the disability coaching team of Everton In the Community (EITC) took posession of a Mini Bus which was donated by Southern Cross Healthcare as part of the Southern Cross Partnership with EITC. The keys to the bus were handed over to Chief Executive of EITC Graham Lewis by Baroness Morgan of Huyton who also attended the event.

Official Opening of Tor-na-Dee Care Centre, Aberdeen

A unique facility in elderly and young care provisions in Aberdeen was official opened today. Tor-na-Dee Care Centre, a £3.7 million purpose built home operated by Ashbourne Senior Living, has been built on the site of the old Tor-na-Dee Hospital. The centre provides care for 74 frail elderly and dementia service users with all single rooms and en-suite shower facilities.

Southern Cross Care Awards 2007

Southern Cross celebrates the commitment of its staff at the company’s Care Awards

On the 20 March 2008 a Gala Ball was held at the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool to celebrate the National Final of the Southern Cross Care Awards. These awards were open to all staff from the 730 Southern Cross, Ashbourne Senior Living and Active Care Partnerships care centres throughout the country.

Southern Cross Times March 2008

Read a statement from our new Chief Executive, Bill Colvin, and our Group Managing Director, John Murphy. Also find out about our policy on Corporate Social Responsibility and news about recent care home developments.

Southern Cross Response to the Issues Highlighted by Panorama

Southern Cross Healthcare responds to the issues raised by the Panorama programme on 3rd December 2007.

Southern Cross Healthcare has been developing a very proactive dementia strategy for over three years. This approach teaches nurses, care assistants and managers employed by the group to see the person first and the dementia last. Click on the link to read more.

County Durham & Tees Valley Charity Awards Sponsored by Southern Cross Healthcare

On Thursday 1st November 2007 the County Durham & Tees Valley Charity Awards took place at the Hardwick Hall Hotel near Sedgefield. Southern Cross Healthcare was the official sponsors of the Health and Welfare Charities category (including Elderly). Nominations included charities from Darlington, Durham, Teesside, Tyne and Wear and York.

Southern Cross Healthcare sponsors Everton in the Community

At the recent Everton versus Birmingham match on the 3 November 2007, Ann Marie Heaps, Managing Director, Sue Ashcroft, Operations Manager and service user Brian Alsop of Roxburgh House Care Centre, Bootle, Liverpool presented a cheque for £80,000 to Everton In the Community.

Southern Cross Takes Part in Ground Breaking Project to Tackle Elder Abuse In Care Homes

Southern Cross is delighted to be part of a major partnership designed to protect older people from the effects of abuse.

On Tuesday 23rd October representatives from both the statutory and private sector joined together to launch a unique helpline for service users and staff living and working in a number of care homes in Essex.

News Archive

Official Response to Sunday Times Article on Arden Valley Care Home - November 2007
Elder Abuse Awareness Day (PDF 300KB) - August 2007
Internet TV Report - Southern Cross Workers' Permits - August 2007
The Skills Pledge - June 2007
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - Ambush of John Murphy - June 2007
The Way to Do It - Coldharbour Systems (PDF 330KB) - May 2007
Southern Cross Announces its Interim Results (PDF 200KB) - April 2007
Southern Cross Healthcare links with nutrition expert Nutmeg - March 2007
Focus on Focus Homes - March 2007
A warm welcome to the team at Life Style Care Portfolio - March 2007
Southern Cross Care Awards 2007 - March 2007
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - March 2007
Caring Times Interview with Philip Scott (PDF 670KB) - March 2007
Winners - Care Choices Care Training Excellence Awards 2006 - December 2006
Our Award Successes - November 2006
Southern Cross Times (PDF 1.8MB) - November 2006
Company Report and Accounts (PDF 1MB) - October 2006

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