Rachael Byrne, Executive Director of Care and Clinical Support
Rachael has 25 years’ experience in supported housing and an absolute passion for what it takes to support customers at all levels. She has overall responsibility for over 600 supported housing projects nationwide.
Specialisms: Complex care, learning disabilities, mental health, extra care, ageing, integrating housing and social care, complex needs, older people.
Dr Nichola Stefanou, director of clinical practice
As Head of Clinical Practice, Nichola leads the development of practice, clinical governance, new interventions and innovations. She has held roles within NHS foundation trusts and health care providers and has an extensive background in clinical governance education. Nichola leads on Complex Care at Home Group. Listen to podcast: talking care and clinical support.
Specialisms: Complex care, acute healthcare, community healthcare, social care, patient safety, clinical effectiveness, patient experience.
Lindsay Courtney, head of clinical practice
Lindsay is determined to deliver innovative solutions to complex health and social care needs. She works to promote independence through rehabilitation and reablement and to embed assistive technology in service design. Lindsay is a qualified and registered occupational therapist and was a university lecturer for several years.
Specialisms: Extra care, community wellbeing, aging, frailty, older people, complex needs, occupational therapy, dementia, assistive technology, reablement, rehabilitation and social care.
Jenny Mace, strategic lead for service design and practice
Jenny has 30 years’ experience in working in social care, including youth work, criminal justice, homelessness and mental health, and has a particular passion for addressing health inequalities in society. She is responsible for designing and developing Home Group’s specialist services and support practice model.
Specialisms: Learning disabilities, mental health, social care, health equality
Victoria Darcy, clinical expert in occupational therapy
Victoria is an occupational therapist who has spent her career working in the public and private sectors. Her clinical practice has included working with older adults with cognitive impairments. As well as leading a community intensive mental health service. She has commissioned for a range of service users with complex needs. Victoria's also passionate about promoting increased wellbeing through occupational science.
Specialisms: Occupational therapy, occupational science, older adults, organic impairment, mental health, ASD, complex needs.
Lesley Bainbridge, clinical expert in physical health
Lesley is a nurse and midwife and has spent her career specialising in the care of older people. She is passionate about ensuring those with complex needs are able to enjoy the best quality of life possible. Having worked in both provider and commissioning services, she is committed to embedding evidence, evaluation, data and research. Lesley has a built up a national profile as a nurse and specialist in older people’s care.
Specialisms: Whole person care, whole system care, frailty, complex needs, evidence and evaluation.
Emma Burtenshaw, clinical expert in positive behavioural support
Emma is a board-certified behaviour analyst who has worked primarily with adults with complex needs and individuals who are within the complex care pathway. She has worked across the public and private sector within adults’ health and social care in behavioural support roles, with a particular focus on adults with learning disabilities and autism who display severe behaviour that challenges. Emma is particularly passionate about the reduction of restrictive practice, human rights approaches, and the ethical application of applied behaviour analysis.
Specialisms: Complex care, applied behaviour analysis, restrictive practice reduction, behaviour that challenges, learning disability, autism.
Heather Rice, clinical expert in psychology
Heather is a Registered Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council; Chartered Psychologist, Scientist and Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society; and Associate Member of the Division of Forensic Psychology. She’s worked in both secure and non-secure settings with a range of clients, including perpetrators, and victims of, offending, adults, children, and young people. Heather’s also worked with victims of domestic abuse and homicide, with specialisms in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness, and compassion-based therapy; and has co-written and delivered workshops for reflective practice, to support staff during and post Covid.
Specialisms: Psychologically Informed Environments; offending behaviour; interpersonal and family violence (children, young people and adults); substance misuse; risk assessment and management; attachment; strengths-based approach.
