Care UK has appointed Jo Crossland as head of nursing, care and dementia, and Andrew Gibb as operations director for Care UK’s North division.

Crossland is a dual-qualified nurse with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in dementia care who has supported older people for more than three decades. She has held senior positions within care homes, mental health NHS trusts, and worked as a development consultant and trainer for the University of Bradford’s School of Dementia Studies. In 2016, she joined Avery Healthcare as head of dementia care, where she was a key part of the team for seven-and-a-half years. She was most recently quality director for We Care Group. 

She is undertaking part-time PhD research at Leeds Beckett University, focusing on the experience of relatives moving loved ones to care homes after a period of home care.

Crossland said: “It’s a brilliant time to join Care UK, and a great opportunity for me. I want to make sure that every family member feels heard as they go through the care process – it’s a huge transition for everyone involved, and I want to make sure we’re future-proofing the service we offer to residents and their loved ones. 

“Residents are everything to someone – many of them are nanas and grandads to people, and they’re just trying to make sense of a huge lifestyle change which feels completely different to what they’re used to – my question is, what support do we need to offer to make sure residents are bringing their life with them on their journey into care?”

Gibb has assumed responsibility for 55 Care UK homes in five regions and manages five regional directors, covering care homes in the North of England and Scotland. He will oversee the continued growth of some of the more recent homes in the provider’s portfolio, including the six formerly run by Yorkshire-based Springfield Healthcare, which joined Care UK acquired last October.  

Gibb is a registered pharmacist and has spent his career in leadership roles with Boots Hearingcare, Superdrug and Lloyd’s Pharmacy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he supported the plasma donation scheme created by the NHS. For a number of years, he was a trustee for We Change Lives, a social care charity based in Warrington.

Gibb said: “It feels like the perfect fit – Care UK is a fantastic provider, with hardworking teams who aim to help to as many residents and their families as possible.

“I hope I can make a real difference and work with our in-house experts to provide residents with the high-quality care they deserve. I want to help continue to grow our high-quality ratings – the more successful we are, the more people we can help.”

 “I see my job as a leader to create an environment for people to stretch, develop, and feel motivated. You are only as successful as your team and, as long as they’re thriving, I’m doing my job as a leader.”  

Care UK’s chief executive Andrew Knight said: “This year has been an exciting period of growth and change for Care UK, so I am delighted that Jo and Andrew have joined us on this journey. Between them, they bring decades of expertise and leadership experience. This will not only benefit our teams, but also introduces new ways of thinking to continue supporting residents to live fulfilling lives.”

Care UK operates 165 homes in Great Britain.