The Highlands’ largest social care provider, Highland Home Carers (HHC), has announced that it has made a significant investment in a new 10,000 sq ft national HQ in Inverness that includes a custom built training academy with state of the art facilities, equipment – and high calibre trainers – that positions the company as the sector leader for social care training in Scotland.
The new facility will revolutionise both how HHC delivers care and looks after its care and support practitioners. The two-storey premises gives the company the platform to transform and modernise practices in the social care sector using the latest digital technology.
The move from leased premises on Stadium Road, Inverness will be vital in helping HHC fulfil its vision of rolling out safe, high quality, resilient models of social care to vulnerable people across the Highlands in partnership with NHS Highland
Already Scotland’s largest employee-owned organisation and one of the Highlands’ largest employers, HHC’s new base at 1 Highlander Way (Inverness Retail & Business Park) will be pivotal in supporting its ambitions of being the employer of choice in the sector and in the region. A newly established Care Academy will seek to improve the working lives of the adult social care workforce through the innovative Care for a Career support, learning and development programme.
Speaking about the landmark investment, HHC Managing Director, Campbell Mair, said:
“We are delighted to have completed the purchase of 1 Highlander Way at what is a unique and distinctive juncture for Highland Home Carers. Being able to create a bespoke headquarters for the first time is a game changer for the company, helping us improve the working lives of our workforce as well as the scope and reach of adult social care we provide across the region.
“Highland Home Carers already delivers more than 1,000,000 episodes of vital care in our communities every year. What is without doubt the biggest single investment in the company’s history will significantly strengthen our ability to improve on this and continue our progress in effecting social change.”
Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, commented:
“I have always been hugely impressed by the ethos at Highland Home Carers, and this investment is another great step forward for the team.
“Highland Home Carers is already a leading light in the sector through their Employee Ownership status. They have a track record of investing in people to ensure that vulnerable people in our communities have the best support possible.
“These are undoubtedly challenging times for the adult care sector as we face a cost-of-living crisis and grapple with staffing challenges. This move will allow the team to develop a new Care Academy to facilitate the training and development of people looking to choose care as a career – which is excellent news for the Highlands.”
Edward Mountain MSP for the Highlands and Islands said:
“As Scotland’s biggest employee owned company and as one of the Highlands’ largest employers, I am delighted that Highland Home Carers (HHC) have chosen premises in Inverness to be their new national Headquarters.
“The new premises are a major financial investment by HHC and will have a very welcome knock on effect to the Highland economy as a whole.
“I have no doubt that the new headquarters will enhance the already outstanding high level of care which HHC provides for clients across the Highlands and I look forward to seeing first hand how the latest advances in technology are enabling HHC to transform the social care which they provide on a daily basis.”
Louise Bussell, NHS Chief Officer, Highland Community, added:
“On behalf of NHS Highland I wish to commend the exciting developments being taken forward by our valued partners Highland Home Carers. The provision of adult social care is so important to our communities. Growing our workforce of valued colleagues as well as developing innovative practices for the future are essential and we therefore very much welcome these exciting plans.”