Real estate investor and lender Octopus Capital has appointed Suzanne Mumford to its in-house quality assurance team.

Mumford will support Octopus Capital’s quality assurance team, made up of experienced registered nurses, which provides guidance by carrying out in-person visits, mock inspections, best practice workshops, and clinical oversight. She will lead on the development and delivery of Octopus Capital’s dementia strategy, helping ensure residents living with dementia experience safe, supportive and life-enhancing care in Octopus Capital-owned homes.

Mumford is a dementia specialist with more than 40 years’ experience in the social care sector and is a Queen’s Nurse. She spent nearly eight years at Care UK, most recently as head of nursing, care and dementia services, where she led on the development and delivery of innovative, research-based care models across a national portfolio of homes. Mumford has also held senior consultancy and quality improvement roles with a range of operators and training bodies, including Care Prepared, Hallmark Care Homes, and Carebase.

Carrie Pilgrim, quality assurance director at Octopus Capital, said: “[Mumford] is widely respected in the care sector and brings a depth of dementia expertise that will help us continue to raise the bar across our portfolio. According to Public Health England, there are now 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and by 2050 this number is expected to exceed two million. With this increased number of residents living with dementia and more families seeking specialist support, we know how important it is to get ahead of things and embed best practice at every level, from training through to daily care. Suzanne’s appointment reflects our commitment to being at the forefront of that.”

Mumford commented: “I’ve dedicated much of my career to supporting people living with dementia and their families, and I’m really pleased to join a business that shares that passion. Octopus Capital is in a unique position to make a real difference, not only by investing in the development of modern, purpose-built care homes, but by supporting care providers on the ground to deliver truly person-centred care. I’m really looking forward to working with the team and partners across the portfolio to keep improving outcomes for residents.”