The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
In Conversation
Every month Katy Gordon speaks to Courier Country business people to learn what makes them tick. This month she met Tony Banks and Steve White, chairman and CEO, respectively, of Balhousie Care Group.
After 25 years at the head of a company – particularly a company as busy and dynamic as Balhousie Care Group - few people would blame Tony Banks if he took early retirement and chose to spend time in the sun. However, he has doubled down on his plans for the future of Balhousie Care Group, appointing Steve White as the first ever CEO for the business. Tony explained: “We’re proud of our milestone and what we’ve achieved. We’ve had ups and downs and the last few years in particular have been spent turning the business around. My focus has been keeping things afloat and we couldn’t do as much strategic and longterm planning, but we’re now in a place where we can look to the future. “We recently carried out a bank refinancing which gives us greater financial stability and allows us to look at investing back into our business and our people. This creates an exciting future and opens up opportunity for us. Steve will be key to delivering our strategy and motivating the team. I’m excited about our next quarter century. “Even when things are hectic, I still look forward to getting up and coming to work every day. I think that showing how much I care shows the team that they should too.” The intention is to use the stability the refinancing brings to invest even more in the business, including buying back some leased homes – a move that will mean significant savings in terms of rent payments.. Steve added: “When I met Tony at my job interview, I could see that he had a desire to continue to improve people’s lives, and that matched my own values and vision for the role.” Balhousie – which celebrated its 25th birthday at an event for staff at Piperdam Golf & Leisure Resort – now has 25 care homes, over 900 residents and 1300 staff. Speaking to the pair at the Balhousie Care Group HQ, I quickly realised how much they have in common and how aligned their approach to delivering excellence in care is. When I brought it up they were quick to agree. “I think we’re really similar,” Steve said. “We’re both dedicated to our jobs and work has been a significant part of both of our lives. However, what we do is really rewarding and that drives us to do more. “Giving people opportunity to grow and encouraging them to reach their potential is something I’m passionate about. I want to see people with ambition thrive in their careers, it’s something that I look forward to encouraging here at Balhousie Care.” Just a few short months into the business, Steve has visited every care home in the business, speaking to staff, residents and relatives and getting their feedback, which will help to form his plans for the next few years. “One of the things we will be looking at is employee development and benefits. We know there are ways we can make small changes that will have a big impact on the people affected by them.” Initiatives have already been put in place that encourage input from everyone in the business residents, relatives, staff and partners - on how care is delivered and received. In March, Balhousie Care launched its own Participation Charter, the first of its kind within a care home setting. The charter was established through consultation with residents and their families, to discuss and agree what people wanted and expected from their experience at Balhousie Care and to have full inclusion in the decisions that will affect their lives. Steve even faced a grilling by a group of residents, staff and relatives when they sat in on an interview stage of the recruitment process. Tony explained: “The CEO post was such a big appointment at a critical time and we wanted to ensure that all groups felt included.” Steve laughed: “It was the toughest interview I’ve ever had! But they asked great questions and when I went back to the home after my appointment, I made a point of thanking those involved.” What was apparent from my chat with Tony and Steve was how much they truly put care at the heart of everything. “It’s like a stick of rock – care runs right the way through the organisation,” Tony said. “We’ve put the framework in place but, crucially, we follow through on it. Our initiatives and focussing on our people is part of the everyday ethos at Balhousie. Our people are at the heart of our business – our residents, our staff and their families. That won’t ever change.” With a clear emphasis on caring for every person whose lives are touched by Balhousie Care Group, the future direction of the business under Tony and Steve seems clear. Tony concluded: “It’s exciting times. With Steve coming in, we can focus even more on our plans and continue to deliver excellence in care.”
Care runs right the way through the organisation