Start An Enquiry Telephone
0333 999 8699

Our Experts and Advisors

Experts

HC-One is proud to introduce its team of Kind Care Experts, who, as experts in their field, support and guide our homes across the UK in providing the kindest possible care to our Residents. 

Rachel Bradbury

Director Of Operational Change

Having started her career as a nurse more than 40 years ago, Rachel has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in the health and social care sector, after working in vital positions for both the NHS and private healthcare organisations. Since then, Rachel started a new journey by joining HC-One in May 2021, where she is proud to continue making a difference to people’s lives and supporting families by delivering the kindest possible care.

Rachel knew from an early age that she wanted to be a nurse, and throughout her career has delivered care with the utmost kindness, empathy, and compassion. She is passionate about helping older people live a very good life, which to her means good health, a positive outlook, and most importantly happiness. In her spare time, Rachel’s favourite thing is spending time with her family to create precious memories to last a lifetime.

Professor Graham Stokes

Director of Dementia and Specialist Service Innovation

As a specialist in dementia care since 1984, Graham was drawn to the care sector to support the most vulnerable adults of society. Graham has been instrumental to the continuous enhancement of care that HC-One provides for people living with dementia, he cites that kind care is considering the feelings of others, going beyond what is expected and being there for them when they need you.

Graham’s HC-One name badge says: ‘thinking differently’, because doing so has characterised much of his working life. During his career, Graham has been an NHS Consultant, held prestigious roles for leading care organisations, is an honorary visiting professor at the University of Bradford as well as being part of key inquiries and strategy groups. In his spare time, Graham’s favourite thing is a beloved collection of Arsenal and international football programmes which connect him to emotions and memories of matches both won and lost.

Gary Reed

Director of Property

Since joining the care sector more than 16 years ago, having worked with two other major care home groups before joining HC-One, Gary’s focus is to deliver world-class estate management services to our care homes across the UK. To Gary, kind care is considering the needs of the home before anything else, even in challenging situations, and he instils this into his team.

Gary is motivated by his desire to provide the safest possible environment for Residents, Colleagues and Visitors, ensuring that all HC-One care homes are compliant, functional and safe, that the business begins its journey to Net Carbon Zero, and that refurbishments and other projects are delivered through professional and sensitive project management.  His HC-One name badge says: ‘Loves to travel’, as Gary enjoys experiencing new places and cultures, as well as scuba diving, cooking and going for long walks with his family and dog, finishing off in a nice pub.

Richard Smith

Director of Design & Construction

Richard joined HC-One in March 2020, having worked in the construction industry since he left school more than 30 years ago. Having started out as a trainee quantity surveyor and developing skills in project management and senior development throughout his career, Richard later built his first care home in 1999 and has worked for care home providers ever since. Richard believes the care sector chose him, and his favourite thing is seeing a building come to life and become a home as Residents move in for the first time.

To Richard, kindness means to treat others how you wish to be treated and leave them with a laugh and a smile. He is passionate about helping older people live a very good life, enabling them to do what makes them happy with the people they care about.

Deborah Hulse-Raper

Head of Customer Care

With a wealth of experience in customer service, Deborah joined HC-One in 2015 as Head of Customer Care after spending most of her career in the banking and finance industry. Deborah chose to work for the care sector as her family had learned first-hand the remarkable difference a carer can make to someone, and she wanted to help other families and their loved ones along their journey. 

Since becoming a part of the kind care company, Deborah has promoted kindness in everything she does. She believes that no matter who you are, everyone can be kind and that being able to enjoy all the things today that you did yesterday plays a key part in living a good life. Deborah extends these values to her family life, too, as she loves spending quality time with her husband, children and her dog, Jasper.

Mark Meacham

Head of Catering and Housekeeping Support Services

Following 24 years in the British Army as a Chef, Mark decided to transition to the care sector to help make a difference to people’s lives every single day. As Head of Hotel Services, Mark is dedicated to encompassing quality, safety and diversity into all areas of hospitality at HC-One, of course taking inspiration from the different cultures and traditions he experienced on his travels around the world with the army. His name badge says: ‘Passionate about food’, as Mark believes that nobody should underestimate the power of food and the impact it can have.

Mark is passionate about ensuring Residents live a very good life at HC-One, by empowering them to grasp each day with both hands and believe it is never too late to achieve their dreams. In his spare time, Mark is a dedicated football fan and holds a season ticket for his local team, Cambridge United, but above all enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Chris Bonner

Executive Chef and Nutrition and Hydration Lead

Chris’ passion for food and nutrition started from a young age and he has now worked in the catering industry for 25 years – a career that has taken him from a pub kitchen in his hometown, to travelling around the world for 15 years as a Chef in the Army. With this experience under his belt, Chris then moved to the care sector in 2012, as he wanted to give something back to the generations that paved the life he lives today. After five years at Helen McArdle Care, Chris became a part of the HC-One family in 2017 as the company’s first ever Development Chef and has since progressed to become Executive Chef and Nutrition and Hydration Lead.

In his role, Chris loves experimenting with food and creating new dishes, as he works with Colleagues across our homes to improve all aspects of food and culinary services for our Residents. Chris’ HC-One name badge says: ‘Good food, good mood’, a motto that he lives by in and out of work. He is passionate about offering the best possible food to those living in our homes, not only to ensure good nutrition and health but to see that one thing that excites him most about working for HC-One: Residents’ smiles.

Liz Whyte

COVID 19 and Quality Projects Lead

As a Registered Nurse with over 30 years’ experience in the care sector, Liz is passionate about the care and wellbeing of older people. She cites that kind care is treating every person with courtesy and respect, while taking into account all the things that matter to each individual. Since joining HC-One in 2011, Liz has played a vital role in the continuous improvement of the services and quality of care delivered by our care homes.
 
Having held numerous roles within the care industry, Liz has a diverse knowledge and skillset that enables her to deliver both improved quality of life for Residents and outstanding results for the company. Liz’s HC-One name badge says: ‘Mother to a princess and Granny to a prince’, because she is a devoted mother and proud grandmother.

Independent Advisors

HC-One is proud to introduce our Kind Care Independent Advisors and Board Members, who share a wealth of experience in health and social care having worked at the highest levels in local government, the Department of Health and NHS and in leading independent care sector providers.

Dame Ruth Carnall

Non-Executive Chair

Dame Ruth Carnall joined HC-One as Chair in September 2022, bringing with her over 40 years’ experience in healthcare at some of the highest levels of executive and strategic leadership.
 
A well-known leader in independent consultancy, with extensive Board experience, Dame Ruth has provided strategic advice to leaders in health and care at national, regional and local levels both in the UK and overseas. Her career includes seven years as Chief Executive of NHS London, where she oversaw a significant transformation programme, Non-Executive Director of the Cabinet Office Board and her current position as Vice Chair of healthcare think tank, The King’s Fund. She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2011 for her achievements in healthcare.
 
In her role as Chair at HC-One, Dame Ruth will, with her fellow board members, guide and support the leadership team to ensure that HC-One delivers on its purpose as the kind care company and its mission to be the first choice to those it cares for, along with their families, Colleagues and commissioners.

Sir David Behan CBE

Senior Advisor

Sir David Behan originally joined HC-One in 2018 as a Non-Executive Director, subsequently becoming Chairman in November 2019, before becoming a Senior Advisor in November 2021.

His role includes working closely with the executive team to ensure HC-One delivers its ambition to be the ‘first-choice’ care provider for those in its care, their families, its Colleagues and commissioners. He is particularly focused on ensuring high standards of quality are delivered across the organisation. 
 
With over 40 years of experience in health and social care, Sir David’s career highlights include being the former Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, the regulator for health and care services in England, for six years; the Chief Inspector of its predecessor, the Commission for Social Care Inspection; and Director General for Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health.   Sir David is also the current Chair of Health Education England, the body which provides national leadership and coordination for the education and training of the health and public health workforce in England. 
 
In 2004, Sir David was appointed the CBE for services to social care and was knighted for his services to health and care in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list.
 

Leadership

HC-One is proud to introduce some of our company leaders, who together form our Kind Care Leadership. Our leadership prides itself on its extensive experience and knowledge in the health and social care sector, with a shared commitment and passion to providing the kindest possible care to our Residents.