Care entrepreneur Harpinder Birring explains the winning principles behind his two care centres which offer crucial regional mental health care interventions.
The UK care home industry is big business and is estimated to be worth around £25bn as of 2024. Considering the impressive figures, it’s a savvy move to break into a market that shows little sign of slowing down. However, operating in this lucrative space requires social sensitivity and an emotionally intelligent touch, and Harpinder Birring, director and provider at Midland Residential Care, is certainly following this approach.
He operates two care homes; Washwood Health Care Services in Birmingham and Woodcross Nursing Care Home in nearby Walsall. Both centres service a previously underserved issue, namely mental health challenges in the Birmingham-Walsall area: “Both facilities focus on providing high-quality care for individuals with mental health needs,” he explains. Seeing a gap in quality mental health care provision in the region, the goal was “to create a safe, nurturing environment for residents to thrive.”
The business model focuses on “delivering person-centered care with a strong emphasis on mental health and well-being.” Add to the mix “highly trained and dedicated staff” implementing “tailored care plans” focusing on “an individual’s specific needs,” and it’s a comprehensive care service. Servicing consumer needs in the region is one thing, but the centres are also underpinned by a strong and social-impact-minded mission statement, namely a commitment “to making a real difference in the lives of those we care for and creating an environment where people with mental health challenges feel respected and valued.”
A lucrative sector the UK care world may be, but launching a business in this space requires planning and patience considering the potential roadblocks. “One of the biggest challenges was navigating the regulatory landscape and ensuring compliance with all industry standards,” he says. Recruitment was also a major consideration including the importance of “attracting and retaining skilled staff” in order to build “a strong team committed to delivering exceptional care.”
In the logistically and often emotionally complex world of care, Birring has learned some core soft skills including “the importance of empathy and patience both with residents and staff.” Other lessons learned include the value of “leading by example and creating a positive work environment,” which he believes has been “key to building a dedicated team and a successful business.”
How does a business leader know their organisation is thriving? The answer is through happy customers and staff. It sounds simple, but it isn’t always easy to achieve. Luckily, Birring has managed both at Washwood Health Care Services and Woodcross Nursing Care Home. The evidence, including “positive feedback from both our residents and their families” as well as “significant growth in occupancy rates and high retention of skilled staff,” is clear enough.
All in all, it’s good news for the bottom line and for a solid brand reputation “which speaks to the quality of care we provide,” he adds. Unsurprisingly, the need to adapt to ever-shifting regulatory issues are key challenges, but mental health care demand in the area remains high, with Birring and his team planning to meet these ongoing needs via facilities and services expansion.
Like any ambitious and forward-thinking business figure, Birring has an exciting longer-term vision. These include further investment in “new facilities to cater to more individuals” with a view to embracing technology to innovate their mental health care services.
Five years down the line he envisions seeing “both Washwood Health Care Services and Woodcross Nursing Care Home becoming leaders in mental health care within Birmingham and Walsall, with a wider reach and additional services tailored to our residents’ needs.”
Many customers require professional care services these days, but customers aren’t all the same. Effective care requires targeted, personalised offerings rather than blanket approaches and this is exactly why Birring’s two care centres work so well, and if the impressive occupancy rates, solid client feedback and content staff aren’t testament enough, what is!?