"The community embrace us, and our residents love it."
Meet Nessa, dedicated Administrator at Halcyon House, residential and nursing care home in Formby. We asked her about her inspiring journey with Abbeyfield; exploring her work-life, and discovering how Halcyon House connects with the local community.
Nessa’s journey so far
“I joined Abbeyfield in May 2022 as an Administrator for Halcyon House, a 31-bed nursing home offering personalised care in the charming coastal village of Formby, Merseyside. Before that, I worked as a site and services manager for a local hospice for 17 years.
“I applied for the role because I wanted to work locally, and I had worked for a charity before - it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. An important part of my role is to greet the visitors and make sure the residents know that we are there for them. If someone were considering a career at Abbeyfield, I would recommend it. If I could offer any advice it would be that you will get back what you put into your role, so make it worthwhile.”
Working at Abbeyfield
“As an organisation, Abbeyfield stands out for it’s high standards of resident care and fairness towards employees. There are many options for professional development and growth, such as the opportunity to attend training courses, excellent support from my managers and regular meetings to discuss ideas for employee satisfaction. My favourite part about working at Abbeyfield so far is working with my colleagues, our residents and their friends and families - there is no greater job satisfaction than seeing our residents happy.
“Abbeyfield’s approach to staff wellbeing is open – the door is always open for those who’d like to discuss something. I recently received a voucher for supporting new overseas staff, which was a nice recognition for my efforts, and Abbeyfield Living Society has a refer a friend incentive for employees – they are always working on new ways to show staff some appreciation.
“At Halcyon House, we’ve had staff members develop and progress into more senior roles over time and achieving their qualifications after starting their roles. There are certainly lots of opportunity for progression here. It can be a busy home, but it is equally as rewarding. Seeing our residents enjoy the home is all you can ask for. We continue to work on improving, talk to each other, listen, and work together as a team.”

At Abbeyfield Living Society, we believe that great care starts with great people.
From carers to house managers, activities coordinators to cooks, plus central and regional support roles which are primarily home-based, Abbeyfield has a varied range of career options available.
In the community
“Halcyon House also has great links to the local community, the manager, Activities Coordinator, and families help us always stay connected to the community and make use of local venues. We attend many community events throughout the year, one of which is Gild Hall for Christmas afternoon. The community embrace us, and our residents love it. We receive visits from local school, nurseries, choir groups, physiotherapists, a hairdresser, and a podiatrist. Halcyon House is a lively home that is well thought of in the community.”

Halcyon House is a residential and nursing care home offering dementia care in Formby, Merseyside. We have 31 en-suite bedrooms, each with a profiling bed, dressing table, armchair and plenty of wardrobe space.
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