Meet the Team
Meet the Team
Co-ordinators
Our team of care co-ordinators are the heart of our team and are usually the first point of contact for all of our clients, their families and our staff members. This vital role has a huge impact on the lives of many people who rely on our care and support. Our co-ordinators manage everything from rota management to payroll through to interviews of new staff to attending meetings with our clients.
Helen Busbridge
Branch Manager – (Kent)
Helen Busbridge
Senior Care Co-ordinator
(Head Office)
I have worked with children throughout my whole career, starting out as a school classroom assistant, followed by managing a day nursery before getting the opportunity to work for 10 years in the Disabled Children Team (Social Services) supporting children with a wide range of disabilities, and this is where I first started working with Unity Care Solutions.
I then took an opportunity and joined Unity Care Solutions in September 2014 as a care coordinator within the Kent branch, since then I have progressed to a Senior Care Coordinator.
First and foremost, I enjoy supporting our staff and the families we work with alongside the office management tasks such as payroll, rotas, and compliance.
It is a privilege to be involved with the clients and families that we support and each day I learn something new.
I have an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care plus Leadership and Management, and I am currently completing my NVQ Level 5.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, swimming and walking with my dog.
Michelle Pickard
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
Michelle Pickard
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
My name is Michelle Pickard and I first started working in care in 1990 at the age of 16. I have worked in various different care settings over the years which has included supporting the elderly in residential and nursing homes, working within hospitals, mental health, adolescent services and also within the domiciliary community setting.
In 2018 I joined Unity Care Solutions as a Care Co-ordinator in the Kent branch where I oversee the management of the care workers and carer led packages at the branch. My previous working experience within children’s complex healthcare was quite limited so I was excited for the new challenge and I really enjoy it. I especially like knowing that we can make a difference to the children’s lives each day which is very rewarding- I like to put a smile on people’s faces.
I love my holidays and spending time with my family. I have a dog who is my best friend and enjoy going for walks with him.
Claire Smith
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
Claire Smith
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
My name is Claire, and I have worked in health care on and off for over 22 years. I have worked as an HCA, a support worker, recruitment consultant and most recently as a Health and Social Care Trainer. I am passionate about care and delivering the best service to clients.
Whilst working in these roles I have gained knowledge and experience of the inner workings of health care and CQC. I joined unity care in April 2024 and am looking forward to developing my skills furthermore and working with such a wonderful bunch of people.
I am a huge Batman fan and collect Lego as well as Funko Pops. I also have two dachshunds who keep me busy in my spare time.
Linda Crook
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
Linda Crook
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
I worked for 10 years in the community with vulnerable adults and the elderly and also in a residential home which mainly cared for dementia patients. I decided to change my direction in care approx. 2 years ago and joined Unity Care Solutions working as a Branch Coordinator which I really enjoy as my role is so varied. I am responsible for everything from rota management, payroll, speaking with staff and families, building the staff teams and overseeing staff compliance. Unity Care Solutions has given me the best experience of working in the care industry where we all work as one big team from the Managing Director right down to the care team that work in the field. I have never worked anywhere quite like Unity Care Solutions where we are all appreciated and valued so much.
Georgia Slowey
Care Co-ordinator
(Lewes Branch)
Georgia Slowey
Care Co-ordinator
(Lewes Branch)
I have worked in care for the last 5 or so years after I decided I wanted a change from grooming dogs and pulling pints. I started off my career in the industry as a care assistant in a home local to me for patients with Dementia.
After a few months there I wanted a change, so I then moved over to a support worker role which consisted of supporting young adults with various health issues and autism in a shared house. I quickly realised that I loved the job and that I was much better suited in a support role.
I then became a team leader and transferred within the company to a residential service which specialised in supporting young men with challenging behaviour as well as Autism and other health issues & mental health issues. I began as a team leader and worked my way up to the Deputy manager’s position within a year, and soon after that became the interim manager of the service.
I started with Unity at the end of October 22 as a care coordinator, and everyone at Unity has been lovely and welcoming & I already feel supported within my role.
As this is my first time in an office-based job and my first experience being a coordinator I look forward to seeing where my new role takes me!
In My spare time I love to bake and cook for friends and family. Anything true crime or horror related and I’m all over it! I also have two dogs, two praying mantis, and various ant colonies that occupy a lot of mine and my Fiancé’s time.
Carly Ribton
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
Carly Ribton
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
I have worked in care for 25 years. I started working in a nursing home for the elderly for 2 years and then worked with adults with learning disabilities. I began working with Children and young people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour 21 years ago in residential care and after 4 years I began working with children and young people with complex health needs in residential care. I joined Unity Care Solutions in 2020 and worked as a health care assistant supporting a number of our clients in their homes and Schools. I have now joined the Southampton branch as a coordinator as I wanted a new challenge and to learn more about the logistics of the service we provide.
In my spare time I enjoy travelling around the country to watch live music and spending time with my family, friends and my little Dog!
Co-ordinators
Our team of care co-ordinators are the heart of our team and are usually the first point of contact for all of our clients, their families and our staff members. This vital role has a huge impact on the lives of many people who rely on our care and support. Our co-ordinators manage everything from rota management to payroll through to interviews of new staff to attending meetings with our clients.
Helen Busbridge
Branch Manager – (Kent)
Helen Busbridge
Senior Care Co-ordinator
(Head Office)
I have worked with children throughout my whole career, starting out as a school classroom assistant, followed by managing a day nursery before getting the opportunity to work for 10 years in the Disabled Children Team (Social Services) supporting children with a wide range of disabilities, and this is where I first started working with Unity Care Solutions.
I then took an opportunity and joined Unity Care Solutions in September 2014 as a care coordinator within the Kent branch, since then I have progressed to a Senior Care Coordinator.
First and foremost, I enjoy supporting our staff and the families we work with alongside the office management tasks such as payroll, rotas, and compliance.
It is a privilege to be involved with the clients and families that we support and each day I learn something new.
I have an NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care plus Leadership and Management, and I am currently completing my NVQ Level 5.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, swimming and walking with my dog.
Linda Crook
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
Linda Crook
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
I worked for 10 years in the community with vulnerable adults and the elderly and also in a residential home which mainly cared for dementia patients. I decided to change my direction in care approx. 2 years ago and joined Unity Care Solutions working as a Branch Coordinator which I really enjoy as my role is so varied. I am responsible for everything from rota management, payroll, speaking with staff and families, building the staff teams and overseeing staff compliance. Unity Care Solutions has given me the best experience of working in the care industry where we all work as one big team from the Managing Director right down to the care team that work in the field. I have never worked anywhere quite like Unity Care Solutions where we are all appreciated and valued so much.
Michelle Pickard
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
Michelle Pickard
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
My name is Michelle Pickard and I first started working in care in 1990 at the age of 16. I have worked in various different care settings over the years which has included supporting the elderly in residential and nursing homes, working within hospitals, mental health, adolescent services and also within the domiciliary community setting.
In 2018 I joined Unity Care Solutions as a Care Co-ordinator in the Kent branch where I oversee the management of the care workers and carer led packages at the branch. My previous working experience within children’s complex healthcare was quite limited so I was excited for the new challenge and I really enjoy it. I especially like knowing that we can make a difference to the children’s lives each day which is very rewarding- I like to put a smile on people’s faces.
I love my holidays and spending time with my family. I have a dog who is my best friend and enjoy going for walks with him.
Claire Smith
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
Claire Smith
Care Co-ordinator
(Kent Branch)
My name is Claire, and I have worked in health care on and off for over 22 years. I have worked as an HCA, a support worker, recruitment consultant and most recently as a Health and Social Care Trainer. I am passionate about care and delivering the best service to clients.
Whilst working in these roles I have gained knowledge and experience of the inner workings of health care and CQC. I joined unity care in April 2024 and am looking forward to developing my skills furthermore and working with such a wonderful bunch of people.
I am a huge Batman fan and collect Lego as well as Funko Pops. I also have two dachshunds who keep me busy in my spare time.
Carly Ribton
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
Carly Ribton
Care Co-ordinator
(Southampton Branch)
I have worked in care for 25 years. I started working in a nursing home for the elderly for 2 years and then worked with adults with learning disabilities. I began working with Children and young people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour 21 years ago in residential care and after 4 years I began working with children and young people with complex health needs in residential care. I joined Unity Care Solutions in 2020 and worked as a health care assistant supporting a number of our clients in their homes and Schools. I have now joined the Southampton branch as a coordinator as I wanted a new challenge and to learn more about the logistics of the service we provide.
In my spare time I enjoy travelling around the country to watch live music and spending time with my family, friends and my little Dog!
Nurse Case Managers
Our nurse case managers work closely with each individual we support along with their families and wider professional teams to complete a comprehensive initial assessment. We then use this to be able to plan, implement and evaluate patient care to ensure each individual’s needs and wishes remain at the centre of everything we do. The nurse case managers are also responsible for monitoring the quality of care being delivered by the nursing and care staff, provide client specific clinical training where needed and act as a support and advocate for our clients, their families and our staff team.
Sarah Shell
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Sarah Shell
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
My name is Sarah and I am a paediatric nurse case manager. I qualified as a paediatric nurse in 2000. I spent 3 years at Great Ormond Street Hospital post qualification, learning specialised care and then consolidated more basic nursing practices on the children’s ward at my local hospital before following my passion in complex care. On the wards, I felt I was unable to give children, young people and their families the full and varied support that was needed for them due to time restraints and job expectations. On one occasion, I spent the 10 minutes needed for a 13yr old young person to use her non-verbal skills to tell me she was in pain but I found that due of the shear workload on the ward this wasn’t always possible to do. I decided I wanted to be able to make a bigger difference in complex care needs and moved to Demelza House children’s hospice where I worked for 9 years before joining Unity Care Solutions. I learnt an enormous amount whilst working at Demelza and have been able to see developments in practice and changes in the healthcare needs of the clients we supported. Health needs are becoming more and more complex and that means more expectations on families and community services. There are often gaps in community services for these individuals but working in this job role gave me the opportunity to try to close some of those gaps.
I have worked for Unity Care Solutions since January 2016 and am still enjoying the ever changing and advancing complex care field. I thrive on the passion that each and every staff member in the company brings to the individuals we support. My continuous learning and development has enabled me to have a greater understanding in the wider healthcare systems too to aid better support for families holistically.
Lucy Foster
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Lucy Foster
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent)
Before I began my nurse training, I cared for adults with severe learning disabilities in the community setting which I really enjoyed and led me to my nursing career. After completing training at great Ormond St hospital in 2002, I remained there for 3 years on the urology and renal unit there (with some world travelling in the middle!).
Wanting to move back to Kent and gain my general paediatric nursing, I started work at my local paediatric ward which gave me a number of skills. Feeling pulled towards caring for children with complex care needs, I worked as part of the nursing team at Valance school and then with Demelza children’s hospice. Both of which demonstrating how to care for children and families in these settings, considering family centred care as well as holistic care at all times.
I returned to our paediatric unit in 2014 and after having my eldest was offered the role of paediatric epilepsy nurse in 2017. This role was a whole new challenge with a huge learning curve. I had a wonderful team around me and although the workload was very heavy, I was very proud of the service we provided and the trusting relationships we formed with the families.
I started working at Unity care solutions (Kent branch) in 2022 as a nurse case manager and hope that my skills and experience will be beneficial to the team and the families under our care. I’m excited about this new challenge.
I have 2 children and a rescue dog called Murphy. I love going on family woodland walks.
Rebecca Taylor
Nurse Case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
Rebecca Taylor
Nurse case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
As a child I always knew I wanted to be a children’s nurse. On leaving school I began my children’s nurse training at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London.
After qualifying I consolidated my training on the Metabolic/Gastrointestinal Ward. I then felt I needed to gain experience in general paediatrics and moved to a District General Hospital, where I spent five years, and was promoted to Ward Sister. I returned to Great Ormond Street in 1994 as Ward Sister of the ENT Surgical ward gaining experience in airway management.
In 2003 I was sponsored to work for two years on the General Surgical ward at the Children’s Hospital in Perth, Australia. I stayed for twelve!
Over the years I have developed many skills in caring for children with a huge variety of complex needs including: tracheostomy care, enteral feeding, Total Parenteral Nutrition and Hickman Lines.
On returning to the UK I worked in the community on several complex children’s care packages, before joining Unity Care Solutions in 2016. I am now able to use my skills and expertise to assess and plan children’s complex clinical needs, and train staff within the community.
Beverley Gregory
Nurse Case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
Beverley Gregory
Nurse Case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
I have been qualified as an Adult nurse since 1982, and have seen many changes over the years, which also means I have been fortunate enough to have many varied experiences. I trained locally in Sussex and then moved to Buckinghamshire where I went to do a bank night shift at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit and ended up spending 12 years there, completing specialist training with ‘Enb’ course.
A couple more moves over the years saw me back in Sussex to be near elderly parents. I moved from Spinal Nursing to Acute Brain injury and complex care nursing, and finally managing care homes, gaining experience in looking after people living with dementia. I am now looking forward to using my skills and experience to join the team at Lewes as Nurse case manager.
My spare time is spent spreading myself among our blended and ever growing family!
Steven Smith
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton Branch)
Steven Smith
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton branch)
My name is Steve Smith and I am the Nurse Case Manager/ Clinical Lead for our Southampton Branch. I joined Unity Care Solutions in March 2022 to continue my passion in delivering quality care to children and adults with complex health and social needs.
I registered as an Adult Nurse in 1997, and began working at the Intensive care Unit, Portsmouth Hospitals Trust. After 5 years I moved to Respiratory Medicine managing the Respiratory High Dependency Unit, acting as the commissioning lead for the new Respiratory High Dependency Unit development. Over the next 12 years I was able to operationalise the unit to full capacity, along with managing multiple Hospital Services.
Following this I moved to the community managing NHS services across multiple disciplines involving both adults and children. After gaining valuable experience working and managing services within Paediatric Palliative Care, I moved back into Complex care in the community as a Nurse manager for both children and adults.
Within this working arena I am able exercise my clinical skills and knowledge whilst actively delivering direct care to our clients and their families and training our staff to deliver the best. I feel passionate about supporting our clients complexities and making positive changes to their lives.
In my spare time I enjoy: Good Movies; Good Food; Travelling; & socializing with family and friends
Elizabeth Clarke
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton Branch)
Elizabeth Clarke
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton branch)
Hi my name is Liz. I first qualified as general nurse but quite quickly went on to qualify as a midwife.
From there I specialised in neonatal intensive care and gained my neonatal intensive A few years later after a friend saying to me ‘ Liz I thought you always wanted to be a Children’s nurse!’ I did just that! I went back to London and did my children’s training specialising in Paediatric Intensive Care. I loved the joy and rewards it gave me looking after the children and their families.
After leaving London I worked in the community as a nurse manager looking after children with complex needs.
Due to moving house, the last 8 years I have worked in neonatal intensive care.
I’m really looking forward to being back in the community looking after some wonderful children and their families.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I own many animals which keeps me busy. Within the zoo! I have two border collies which take part in dog agility. When not running around an agility course I enjoy the countryside and heading to the beach.
Julia Willshire
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent)
Julia Willshire
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
I am Jules, I worked for NHS Bursaries in Blackpool (where I am originally from) paying the student nurses during their training. I always knew that I wanted to be a paediatric nurse and this role reinforced this to me….
After a few years of living in New Zealand, I returned to the UK (London) and commenced my nurse training at Great Ormond Street hospital. I spent many happy years there, one year in haematology and oncology (bone marrow transplant), and 7 years in theatres and recovery where I was provided with an abundance of opportunities and experiences within multiple specialities. These included surgeries involving neurology, urology, renal, orthopaedic, spinal, ENT…. the list is endless!
Owing to my family growing, it was time for me to leave GOSH behind and begin a new venture as a specialist school nurse. This role provided me with a whole new scope of experiences, supporting children and young people (and their families) with complex health needs whilst attending school and also in their home. Realising that I wanted to pursue this role further, I found my new role as nurse case manager with Unity in April 2024. I am really excited to be here and be part of the team and I am looking forward to supporting the children and their families and creating enjoyable experiences.
I live in South East London with my partner, our daughter and our pet Tortoise, KiKi.
Opal Bryen
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent)
Opal Bryen
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Before completing my nursing career, I worked within the early years setting which is where I developed a passion for working with children. I went on to complete my nursing degree, then began by working on my local general paediatric unit where I consolidated my learning and gained a variety of skills. Wanting to develop my knowledge and skills further, I then moved on to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Evelina Children’s Hospital in London, where I gained experience with complex care, tracheostomies, ventilation, seizure management, enteral feeding as well as much more. I also experienced adult ITU during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has given me an insight into adult care. I then moved back closer to home and worked as a Paediatric Sister on a local paediatric unit, caring for children and their families at the beginning of their journey in hospital.
I have joined Unity Care in December 2024 as a Nurse Case Manager and am looking forward to using these skills and knowledge to help support staff to provide care for our clients and their families within their own home and school.
I live in Kent with my partner and our 2 cats. I enjoy holidays and travelling, spending time with friends and family, and an (occasional) gym class.
Nurse Case Managers
Our nurse case managers work closely with each individual we support along with their families and wider professional teams to complete a comprehensive initial assessment. We then use this to be able to plan, implement and evaluate patient care to ensure each individual’s needs and wishes remain at the centre of everything we do. The nurse case managers are also responsible for monitoring the quality of care being delivered by the nursing and care staff, provide client specific clinical training where needed and act as a support and advocate for our clients, their families and our staff team.
Sarah Shell
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Sarah Shell
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
My name is Sarah and I am a paediatric nurse case manager. I qualified as a paediatric nurse in 2000. I spent 3 years at Great Ormond Street Hospital post qualification, learning specialised care and then consolidated more basic nursing practices on the children’s ward at my local hospital before following my passion in complex care. On the wards, I felt I was unable to give children, young people and their families the full and varied support that was needed for them due to time restraints and job expectations. On one occasion, I spent the 10 minutes needed for a 13yr old young person to use her non-verbal skills to tell me she was in pain but I found that due of the shear workload on the ward this wasn’t always possible to do. I decided I wanted to be able to make a bigger difference in complex care needs and moved to Demelza House children’s hospice where I worked for 9 years before joining Unity Care Solutions. I learnt an enormous amount whilst working at Demelza and have been able to see developments in practice and changes in the healthcare needs of the clients we supported. Health needs are becoming more and more complex and that means more expectations on families and community services. There are often gaps in community services for these individuals but working in this job role gave me the opportunity to try to close some of those gaps.
I have worked for Unity Care Solutions since January 2016 and am still enjoying the ever changing and advancing complex care field. I thrive on the passion that each and every staff member in the company brings to the individuals we support. My continuous learning and development has enabled me to have a greater understanding in the wider healthcare systems too to aid better support for families holistically.
Lucy Foster
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Lucy Foster
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Before I began my nurse training, I cared for adults with severe learning disabilities in the community setting which I really enjoyed and led me to my nursing career. After completing training at great Ormond St hospital in 2002, I remained there for 3 years on the urology and renal unit there (with some world travelling in the middle!).
Wanting to move back to Kent and gain my general paediatric nursing, I started work at my local paediatric ward which gave me a number of skills. Feeling pulled towards caring for children with complex care needs, I worked as part of the nursing team at Valance school and then with Demelza children’s hospice. Both of which demonstrating how to care for children and families in these settings, considering family centred care as well as holistic care at all times.
I returned to our paediatric unit in 2014 and after having my eldest was offered the role of paediatric epilepsy nurse in 2017. This role was a whole new challenge with a huge learning curve. I had a wonderful team around me and although the workload was very heavy, I was very proud of the service we provided and the trusting relationships we formed with the families.
I started working at Unity care solutions (Kent branch) in 2022 as a nurse case manager and hope that my skills and experience will be beneficial to the team and the families under our care. I’m excited about this new challenge.
I have 2 children and a rescue dog called Murphy. I love going on family woodland walks.
Rebecca Taylor
Nurse Case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
Rebecca Taylor
Nurse case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
As a child I always knew I wanted to be a children’s nurse. On leaving school I began my children’s nurse training at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London.
After qualifying I consolidated my training on the Metabolic/Gastrointestinal Ward. I then felt I needed to gain experience in general paediatrics and moved to a District General Hospital, where I spent five years, and was promoted to Ward Sister. I returned to Great Ormond Street in 1994 as Ward Sister of the ENT Surgical ward gaining experience in airway management.
In 2003 I was sponsored to work for two years on the General Surgical ward at the Children’s Hospital in Perth, Australia. I stayed for twelve!
Over the years I have developed many skills in caring for children with a huge variety of complex needs including: tracheostomy care, enteral feeding, Total Parenteral Nutrition and Hickman Lines.
On returning to the UK I worked in the community on several complex children’s care packages, before joining Unity Care Solutions in 2016. I am now able to use my skills and expertise to assess and plan children’s complex clinical needs, and train staff within the community.
Beverley Gregory
Nurse Case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
Beverley Gregory
Nurse Case Manager
(Lewes Branch)
I have been qualified as an Adult nurse since 1982, and have seen many changes over the years, which also means I have been fortunate enough to have many varied experiences. I trained locally in Sussex and then moved to Buckinghamshire where I went to do a bank night shift at Stoke Mandeville spinal injuries unit and ended up spending 12 years there, completing specialist training with ‘Enb’ course.
A couple more moves over the years saw me back in Sussex to be near elderly parents. I moved from Spinal Nursing to Acute Brain injury and complex care nursing, and finally managing care homes, gaining experience in looking after people living with dementia. I am now looking forward to using my skills and experience to join the team at Lewes as Nurse case manager.
My spare time is spent spreading myself among our blended and ever growing family!
Steven Smith
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton Branch)
Steven Smith
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton branch)
My name is Steve Smith and I am the Nurse Case Manager/ Clinical Lead for our Southampton Branch. I joined Unity Care Solutions in March 2022 to continue my passion in delivering quality care to children and adults with complex health and social needs.
I registered as an Adult Nurse in 1997, and began working at the Intensive care Unit, Portsmouth Hospitals Trust. After 5 years I moved to Respiratory Medicine managing the Respiratory High Dependency Unit, acting as the commissioning lead for the new Respiratory High Dependency Unit development. Over the next 12 years I was able to operationalise the unit to full capacity, along with managing multiple Hospital Services.
Following this I moved to the community managing NHS services across multiple disciplines involving both adults and children. After gaining valuable experience working and managing services within Paediatric Palliative Care, I moved back into Complex care in the community as a Nurse manager for both children and adults.
Within this working arena I am able exercise my clinical skills and knowledge whilst actively delivering direct care to our clients and their families and training our staff to deliver the best. I feel passionate about supporting our clients complexities and making positive changes to their lives.
In my spare time I enjoy: Good Movies; Good Food; Travelling; & socializing with family and friends
Elizabeth Clarke
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton Branch)
Elizabeth Clarke
Nurse Case Manager
(Southampton branch)
Hi my name is Liz. I first qualified as general nurse but quite quickly went on to qualify as a midwife.
From there I specialised in neonatal intensive care and gained my neonatal intensive A few years later after a friend saying to me ‘ Liz I thought you always wanted to be a Children’s nurse!’ I did just that! I went back to London and did my children’s training specialising in Paediatric Intensive Care. I loved the joy and rewards it gave me looking after the children and their families.
After leaving London I worked in the community as a nurse manager looking after children with complex needs.
Due to moving house, the last 8 years I have worked in neonatal intensive care.
I’m really looking forward to being back in the community looking after some wonderful children and their families.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I own many animals which keeps me busy. Within the zoo! I have two border collies which take part in dog agility. When not running around an agility course I enjoy the countryside and heading to the beach.
Julia Willshire
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent)
Julia Willshire
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
I am Jules, I worked for NHS Bursaries in Blackpool (where I am originally from) paying the student nurses during their training. I always knew that I wanted to be a paediatric nurse and this role reinforced this to me….
After a few years of living in New Zealand, I returned to the UK (London) and commenced my nurse training at Great Ormond Street hospital. I spent many happy years there, one year in haematology and oncology (bone marrow transplant), and 7 years in theatres and recovery where I was provided with an abundance of opportunities and experiences within multiple specialities. These included surgeries involving neurology, urology, renal, orthopaedic, spinal, ENT…. the list is endless!
Owing to my family growing, it was time for me to leave GOSH behind and begin a new venture as a specialist school nurse. This role provided me with a whole new scope of experiences, supporting children and young people (and their families) with complex health needs whilst attending school and also in their home. Realising that I wanted to pursue this role further, I found my new role as nurse case manager with Unity in April 2024. I am really excited to be here and be part of the team and I am looking forward to supporting the children and their families and creating enjoyable experiences.
I live in South East London with my partner, our daughter and our pet Tortoise, KiKi.
Opal Bryen
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent)
Opal Bryen
Nurse Case Manager
(Kent Branch)
Before completing my nursing career, I worked within the early years setting which is where I developed a passion for working with children. I went on to complete my nursing degree, then began by working on my local general paediatric unit where I consolidated my learning and gained a variety of skills. Wanting to develop my knowledge and skills further, I then moved on to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Evelina Children’s Hospital in London, where I gained experience with complex care, tracheostomies, ventilation, seizure management, enteral feeding as well as much more. I also experienced adult ITU during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has given me an insight into adult care. I then moved back closer to home and worked as a Paediatric Sister on a local paediatric unit, caring for children and their families at the beginning of their journey in hospital.
I have joined Unity Care in December 2024 as a Nurse Case Manager and am looking forward to using these skills and knowledge to help support staff to provide care for our clients and their families within their own home and school.
I live in Kent with my partner and our 2 cats. I enjoy holidays and travelling, spending time with friends and family, and an (occasional) gym class.
Registered Managers
Each of our 3 branches have a dedicated manager who is registered with the Care Quality Commission. Our registered managers are responsible for the operational day-to-day management of the service ensuring Unity Care Solutions’ continued compliance with all relevant legislation and regulations. Working in partnership with the senior management team, the registered managers ensure the continued provision of a high quality and consistent service which enables each individual to be supported by the best staff teams possible.
Faye Snowden
Registered Manager
(Kent Branch)
Faye Snowden
Registered Manager
(Kent branch)
I qualified as a Paediatric Nurse in 2010 and started my nursing career in General Paediatrics. I developed an interest in complex nursing and found myself eager to develop my knowledge and skills in this area. I gained experience in cardiothoracic nursing in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Brompton Hospital. Even though this was a great learning opportunity I felt I was missing other aspects of nursing care. This was the deciding factor which led me to join a local Children’s Outreach and Specialist Nursing team and Unity Care Solutions in 2013. My passion for community nursing continued to grow and I later returned to university to qualify as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse in 2015.
I feel that it is a privilege to be able to provide 1:1 nursing care in the comfort of a child’s own home. Supporting families and watching children thrive in their own environment is very rewarding. I returned to Unity Care Solutions in October 2020 as a Paediatric Nurse Case Manager and in August 2024, I started a new role as Registered Manager for the Kent branch. I enjoy the varying aspects of this role and the support that it brings, not only to the children and their families but also to our dedicated nurses and carers.
I live in Kent with my partner, our two children and two (very snuffly!) but lovable Frenchies, Monroe and Otis.
Paul Collins
Registered Manager
(Southampton Branch)
Paul Collins
Registered Manager
(Southampton Branch)
My name is Paul Collins and I am the Registered Manager for our Southampton branch.
Following my training across the London hospitals I registered as a paediatric nurse in 1998 and have worked in a variety of settings across both the acute and community disciplines including general medicine, plastics and burns, orthopaedics and complex care.
After 12 years working for the NHS I made the decision to move into community care as I found the support of complex care clients and their families particularly rewarding and since making the transition to the community have supported the development and delivery of services for approx. 10 years holding posts that included ADHOC complex care nurse, regional clinical lead, case manager, regional business manager and clinical manager.
Since joining Unity Care Solutions in 2018 I have supported and led the development of the Southampton branch where we pride ourselves on delivering a common-sense based approach to service delivery offering genuine client focused care, creative problem solving to enable clients to meet their desired life goals and strong team values ensuring we deliver a supportive, reliable and quality led service.
In my personal life I enjoy kayaking, cooking and spending time with my family, be that walking in the New Forest or spending time at the beach.
Cindy Little
Registered Manager
(Lewes Branch)
Cindy Little
Registered Manager
(Sussex)
I joined UCS in November 23, as Registered Manger based in Lewes, prior to this I have led a varied career within the care sector, spanning over 30 years. I first started back in the 80’s as a care worker looking after people in a Residential setting. Where I remained for 5 years, it was here that my passion developed and it became very apparent that I loved what I was doing and wanted to progress. Following this I moved to the Conquest hospital, and joined the bank at the local hospice, assisting whenever I could. I became a Manger 20 years ago in Residential settings originally working with ESCC, when this home closed, I completed a Business Degree at Brighton Uni, to aid and assist me with my quest in the realms of Management within care settings. Following this I embarked on working in the Community assisting clients in their own homes to remain independent.
Throughout my career, I have gained experience working with individuals with life limiting illnesses, tracheostomies, catheter care, diabetes, epilepsy, wound care and end of life. I have managed teams of carers and nurses, arranged many charity events raising needed funds for worthwhile causes, from abseiling to full gala drag nights, all of which were great fun.
I am very passionate about care and providing care that is tailored to meet the desired goals of the individual clients.
In my personal life, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking my dog and travelling.
Head Office
Our head office team oversee various aspects of the business including recruitment, finance, customer service and quality. This offers each branch full support in many of the administration tasks which leaves the branch teams free to focus on the priority of excellent service delivery.
Sarah Da Costa
Head Of HR
Sarah Da Costa
Head Of HR
(Head Office)
I joined Unity Care Solutions in August 2024 as the new Head of HR, a new and exciting role for the company!
I started working in the care sector for a national company in 2016 in an administrative role, which gave me a great opportunity to learn all about the amazing people who work in care. Since then, I have built my career to specialise in creating work environments which promote wellbeing, engagement, and development for staff, and have been part of various regional and national projects which seek to improve the working environment for people working within the sector as a whole.
Liam Jones
Recruitment & Compliance Manager
Liam Jones
Recruitment & Compliance Manager
(Head Office)
My name is Liam and I’m the recruitment and compliance manager here at Unity Care Solutions.
I’ve been at Unity for just over two years now starting as a recruitment administrator, moving on to manage the department and now branching out into compliance. I’m very techy, have an army of cats and can honestly say that working at Unity has been the best decision i have ever made.
Christina Croucher
Recruitment & Compliance Coordinator
Christina Croucher
Recruitment & Compliance Coordinator
(Head Office)
Hi my name is Christina, I started working in care in 1994, it was a residential home for learning disabilities, I started as a support worked and left there in 2013 as under manager, since then I have worked in many different care settings, home care, hospitals, mental health units, child and adult services both in the community and long-term care, and my favourite is complex care in both adults and children. In 2019 I started recruiting Nurses and Health Care Assistants for a care company, I joined unity care Solutions in September 2024 as a recruitment/compliance coordinator and really enjoy it here.
In my spare time I enjoy waking my dog, Gardening and spending time with my family.
Becky Crowhurst
Business Engagement Manager
Becky Crowhurst
Business Manager
My name is Becky Crowhurst, I work at Head Office co-ordinating training packages for Personal Health Budget staff. I have previously worked within Unity Care Solutions as both a Care Assistant and Recruitment Manager and so have a fairly well-rounded knowledge of the company and what it stands for. Being part of such a supportive team of people is really important to me and one of Unity’s many strengths. I have many years’ experience of working within both the health care sector as well as education which have both provided me with a lot of knowledge around supporting children and meeting a wide variety of needs. Outside of work, I enjoy reading and writing novels as well as spending time with family and getting creative whenever I can.
Sarah Francis
PHB Coordinator
Sarah Francis
PHB Coordinator
After leaving university with an BSC (HONS) degree in sport rehabilitation and injury prevention I started my career working within professional football clubs, rehabilitating players on and off the pitch. This led me to an opportunity to start a career within the NHS, working with young mentally and disabled children, to working within the elderly community. After gaining experience within a hospital setting on an orthopaedic unit, I started a career with the ambulance service attending emergency and non-emergency calls. After some time on the road, I was propositioned to become a trainer for the service, a role that I didn’t think that I could do. After gaining relevant teaching qualifications I taught on courses to new employees and on many statutory and mandatory training to existing members of staff within the service.
After redeployment I continued within the service as a driver training coordinator before finally leaving the trust to become a self-employed trainer. After missing being part of a team I returned to the NHS and started a different career within mental health as a physical restraint trainer that was both physically and mentally challenging.
I am excited to join Unity Care Solutions coordinating training packages for Personal Health Budget staff and hoping that I can use all my previous knowledge and experience within training and care to help fulfil this role.
I have 2 daughters that take most of my time but certainly wouldn’t change for the world. I love socialising with friends, going to theatres and concerts and visiting my family in Birmingham, as I am a Brummie lass by heart. I read crime novels, and my favourite film of all time is the Muppets Christmas carol.
Tracey Farrington
Clinical Nurse Lead
(Head Office)
Tracey Farrington
Clinical Nurse Lead
(Head Office)
I started my nursing career in the mid 1980’s.
I knew as soon as I started my training that it was the vocation for me.
I have seen so many changes over the years but the abiding thing for me is the passion a person needs to be in healthcare underpins everything.
My passion is in helping to nurture the nurses of tomorrow by sharing my knowledge and experience.
I have worked in many areas during my career, cardiology, medicine and surgery.
In 2019 , just prior to the pandemic I decided to take a leap of faith and move from primary care to a community setting working with brain injury and neuro disability. As part of the senior management team I gained experience in Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance and Leadership skills.
This was really rewarding as the part I played in their journey to enable people to return to their homes gave me an incredible sense of satisfaction. However, as that was only the start of their next chapter, I decided I wanted to work in a complex care setting.
I became a Clinical Lead for a Complex Care company in 2021, moving to Unity Care Solutions in 2022.
I live in Kent with my husband and dog. I have two grown up children , the youngest is still at University.
I have played the violin since a child and am part of a local orchestra. I also learnt to play the oboe when my daughter started at school .
I am also a keen archer but my main stress reliever is baking, particularly cakes and bread.
Laura Guiver
Administrative Support
Laura Guiver
Administrative Support
(Head Office)
I’m Laura and I am the Head Office Admin Support where I assist the Quality Monitoring Manager and the Finance Manager. I am very new to Unity Care Solutions having started only at the beginning of May 2022.
Prior to joining the Unity Care Solutions Team, I worked for 35 years in the Cosmetics industry covering roles in the Production, IT, Finance and Human Resources Departments.
I am very much looking forward to becoming an integral part of a very special team.
Sandra Pooley
Finance Manager
Sandra Pooley
Accounts Manager
(Head Office)
I became Accounts Manager at Unity Care Solutions in the middle of September 2020 where I am based at Head Office. Keeping accurate, up to date financial records is vital to any business and with 25 years of experience in bookkeeping I hope to achieve this in my role at Unity Care. I am responsible for anything from processing day to day bank transactions, to monthly invoicing and debt management. I am also responsible for producing and delivering financial reports to the Managing Director and Branch Managers as well as preparing our end of year accounts for our accountant to draw up annual accounts.
Debbie Walter
Quality Monitoring Manager
Debbie Walter
Quality Monitoring Manager
(Head Office)
I have been in the care industry for nearly 20 years in various roles from support worker, senior support worker, manager of a learning disability home, and health and social care assessor before joining Unity Care Solutions in May 2015. I joined as a Community Assessor in the East Sussex branch and in 2019 I changed roles to Quality Monitoring Manager working from Head Office.
I love what I do and find working in the care sector is an emotionally rewarding career. Although it can be very demanding at times and you often have to think on your feet, I do get enormous satisfaction knowing the work I do ensures our workforce is valued and supported well; and they have the right tools and knowledge to provide our clients with safe and efficient care.
Senior Management
The role of our senior management team is to encourage, lead and support everyone within Unity Care Solutions, from our office staff through to our nursing and care teams within the field. Our Directors are committed to developing our company vision and striving for improvements through new and innovative projects which can have a positive impact, not only for our Unity Care Solutions families, but also for our wider communities. Our directors are always available to our staff, clients, families and commissioners to meet or discuss any requirements, ideas, concerns or issues.
Sarah Boffa
Director of Operations
Sarah Boffa
Director of Operations
I started my career in care in 2007 following my maternity leave after having my son and I was looking for a new challenge. My first introduction into care was working for a domiciliary agency as a recruitment administrator and I worked my way up to care co-ordinator within that company. I knew from this point I had a real passion for the care industry and wanted to develop further and learn more. I then moved into a role as a Care Team Leader at an extra care housing establishment where we provided care for adults over the age of 65 with varying care needs.
In 2013, I moved to Unity Care Solutions as a senior care co-ordinator as I wanted to explore care services outside of ‘elderly’ care and was excited by the services Unity were providing within the community. I loved getting to learn more about complex care and caring for children with additional needs. In 2015 I had the opportunity to become the Registered Manager for the Kent branch and in March 2020 I also became the temporary Manager for Lewes until the new manager was recruited and settled into the role. I have also achieved my Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management in Health & Social Care in 2018.
During my time as Registered Manager and running the service in Kent, although I found it could be challenging at times, more importantly it was so rewarding!! The office team are all amazing and each of them share my passion and drive to ensure that the clients being supported receive the best possible care and support.
In 2021 I accepted the role of Director of Operations where I now work closely with all three branches across the company as well as the head office team.
What I love most about my role is the ability and freedom to get creative and encourage the teams to do the same which is so very important within care. Whether this is relating to direct client care, incentives/rewards for staff or social/charitable events, everyone has the chance to share their ideas and suggestions and we have the support and resources to make things happen.
Maria Bolton
Managing Director
Maria Bolton
Managing Director
My whole working career has been in the care sector where I have worked from care worker to care co-ordinator, then into management before becoming the owner of Unity Care Solutions in 2006. I believe my passion for care and support for people comes from the experiences I have encountered in my own family; from losing my father to cancer at a very young age to very close family members suffering with lifelong conditions.
Being involved in this sector is not just about work, it is a deep-rooted desire driven by a strong empathy to understand a person’s life journey and help in times that can be very challenging and difficult to deal with. I am so proud of the Team that represent Unity Care Solutions from the Nurses and Carers within the field, to the office teams and external professionals that support our services.
There is a common theme throughout the company of a desire to want to deliver the best service we can, and if we need to develop and learn we embrace and welcome change.
Senior Management
The role of our senior management team is to encourage, lead and support everyone within Unity Care Solutions, from our office staff through to our nursing and care teams within the field. Our Directors are committed to developing our company vision and striving for improvements through new and innovative projects which can have a positive impact, not only for our Unity Care Solutions families, but also for our wider communities. Our directors are always available to our staff, clients, families and commissioners to meet or discuss any requirements, ideas, concerns or issues.
Sarah Boffa
Director of Operations
Sarah Boffa
Director of Operations
I started my career in care in 2007 following my maternity leave after having my son and I was looking for a new challenge. My first introduction into care was working for a domiciliary agency as a recruitment administrator and I worked my way up to care co-ordinator within that company. I knew from this point I had a real passion for the care industry and wanted to develop further and learn more. I then moved into a role as a Care Team Leader at an extra care housing establishment where we provided care for adults over the age of 65 with varying care needs.
In 2013, I moved to Unity Care Solutions as a senior care co-ordinator as I wanted to explore care services outside of ‘elderly’ care and was excited by the services Unity were providing within the community. I loved getting to learn more about complex care and caring for children with additional needs. In 2015 I had the opportunity to become the Registered Manager for the Kent branch and in March 2020 I also became the temporary Manager for Lewes until the new manager was recruited and settled into the role. I have also achieved my Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management in Health & Social Care in 2018.
During my time as Registered Manager and running the service in Kent, although I found it could be challenging at times, more importantly it was so rewarding!! The office team are all amazing and each of them share my passion and drive to ensure that the clients being supported receive the best possible care and support.
In 2021 I accepted the role of Director of Operations where I now work closely with all three branches across the company as well as the head office team.
What I love most about my role is the ability and freedom to get creative and encourage the teams to do the same which is so very important within care. Whether this is relating to direct client care, incentives/rewards for staff or social/charitable events, everyone has the chance to share their ideas and suggestions and we have the support and resources to make things happen.
Maria Bolton
Managing Director
Maria Bolton
Managing Director
My whole working career has been in the care sector where I have worked from care worker to care co-ordinator, then into management before becoming the owner of Unity Care Solutions in 2006. I believe my passion for care and support for people comes from the experiences I have encountered in my own family; from losing my father to cancer at a very young age to very close family members suffering with lifelong conditions.
Being involved in this sector is not just about work, it is a deep-rooted desire driven by a strong empathy to understand a person’s life journey and help in times that can be very challenging and difficult to deal with. I am so proud of the Team that represent Unity Care Solutions from the Nurses and Carers within the field, to the office teams and external professionals that support our services.
There is a common theme throughout the company of a desire to want to deliver the best service we can, and if we need to develop and learn we embrace and welcome change.
All office staff at Unity Care Solutions undertake a robust training programme and attend regular updates which ensures they are well equipped and skilled to support our staff teams in the field as well as our clients. This training comprises the same mandatory training completed by our care and nursing teams as well as additional training in safeguarding, customer care, HR and staff wellbeing.
We’re passionate about what we do … and we’re proud of it.
Unity Care Solutions Limited is registered with the Care Quality Commission under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 for the regulated activities ‘Personal Care’ and ‘Treatment of Disease Disorder or Injury’.
We are regularly monitored and assessed by the Care Quality Commission to ensure we are compliant with the essential standards of quality and safety.
CQC provider ID: 1-101657904
Get in touch today
Speak to a member of our friendly operations team based near you.