In this episode of Care CEO Success Stories Podcast, Adam James of Springup PR speaks with Nichola Stefanou, Chief Executive Officer of Healthcare Management Trust (HMT), a charitable organisation that operates six care homes across the UK.

Her professional journey began as a clinician, specifically a podiatrist, and has worked in the NHS, acute hospitals, housing with integrated clinical services, and care home management while remaining clinically registered to maintain a connection to frontline healthcare.

Since joining HMT, Nichola has led a significant transformation of the organisation, aligning its mission with a social purpose that prioritises complex care within community settings.

Her leadership has been instrumental in refocusing the trust on innovation, integration, and improved quality of life for residents by embracing a strategy of reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and facilitating timely discharges through skills, partnerships, and technology.

A passionate advocate for staff development, Nichola has introduced new models of care that bring clinical disciplines such as occupational therapy directly into the residential care environment as well as driving the integration of smart technologies and data to monitor health indicators and personalise care more effectively.

In this episode, Nichola discusses her ethos and how she has utilised a variety of techniques to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions including:

• Her passion for her job and how she sees her role as "a gift to be able to do something interesting with purpose and make a difference."
• How Nichola originally trained as a podiatrist, and remains clinically registered, bringing clinical acumen to leadership.
• The systemic challenges faced by the care sector and how, "we're all grappling with the flow of activity—how residents move in and out of hospital services. We need to get better at early, conscious decision-making."
• The importance of "positive risk-taking" and better upskilling in care homes to enable faster, safer discharges and reduce unnecessary hospital stays.
• Nichola's resident-centred philosophy that "even though there's a misconception that the last six months of life can't be improved. We believe in quality of life, however long that may be."
• Using integrated occupational therapy who work within care homes to enhance recovery and functional health for residents.
• Utilising technology to link care homes to acute hubs, "so hospitals can have greater oversight and confidence in community settings."
• Building partnerships with NHS providers and commissioners to streamline referral processes and integrate care services.
• The impact of regional disparities mean that, "systems don't operate the same, which makes national care home operations a challenge."
• The impact of bed blocking and how HMT is, "positioning ourselves as a partner to help solve system-wide issues like bed blocking, with the capacity and capability to manage high acuity cases.
• The importance of staff development by "creating new career pathways—like apprenticeships—for care workers to transition into roles like occupational therapy."
• How HMT are "mirroring NHS governance structures to build shared quality frameworks and trust across sectors.
• Using technology in collaboration to implement sensors in homes to uncover sleep hygiene issues that led to impactful care plan changes.