Homecare provider makes two major management appointments

Daniel Stainer is now a Regional Director of Westmorland Homecare, while Katie Pennington is the new Registered Manager at the Lancaster and Morecambe branch.

The company, which has branches at South Lakeland; Poulton, Fylde and Wyre; Preston; Penrith; and Lancaster and Morecambe, says the changes reflect its commitment to progressing staff in their careers.

In his new role Daniel, 35, is the overall leader of the five branches and will be responsible for new branches the company is hoping to open soon.

“At Westmorland Homecare we want to progress staff in their careers and invest in their potential, putting them in positions where they can continually grow professionally,” said Daniel.

“My new appointment means everything to me. It is wonderful to work in a company where you are appreciated and the hard work you do is recognised.”

Daniel, who lives in Lancaster, was born and grew up in Hest Bank and attended Ripley St Thomas’s School. After a Business Management degree at Lancaster University, he worked at Beaumont College just outside Lancaster as a human resources administrator.

He then undertook a Level 7 degree with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development at the University of Central Lancashire. He worked for the charity Scope and became a Regional Human Resources Manager supporting 1,600 staff in different colleges, schools and care settings. He later worked for Salutem Care and Education in human resources and recruitment after it bought out the services from Scope.

During the Covid pandemic Dan started working for Westmorland Homecare at its South Lakeland branch, which has offices in Kendal and Grange-over-Sands, and became its deputy manager before moving to the Lancaster and Morecambe branch as manager in February 2022.

He was a finalist in the Home Care Registered Manager category at the North West Great British Care Awards in November 2023

Daniel has recently achieved a distinction in Leadership and Management at Lancaster and Morecambe College.

Outside work, Daniel and his partner are foster parents.

Taking over from him as Registered Manager at the Lancaster and Morecambe branch is Katie Pennington, 28, who lives at Ulverston.

Katie did a Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care at sixth form college before entering full-time employment in the NHS in orthopaedics at Wrightington Hospital in Wigan. After five years she relocated to Cumbria and joined Westmorland Homecare as a care co-ordinator.

“As part of the company’s staff progression process, I moved over to the Lancaster and Morecambe branch when it opened in August 2020 and a year later became the senior co-ordinator at the branch,” said Katie, who is mum to two-year-old Ezra.

She is now taking over Daniel’s former role as Registered Manager. “They are big shoes to fill but I am confident that with Daniel being such a big part of the company and with the amazing team I have at Lancaster, that the branch will continue to flourish.”

The branch, which covers a large area from Silverdale to Galgate, including Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham, provides care to enable vulnerable and often frail people over the age of 18 to live independently in their own home. Its services include homecare, such as help with housekeeping and meal preparation, and personal care, which includes support with medication, dressing, bathing and living life to the full.

It employs just over 70 staff, including Homecare Assistants, Team Leaders and office staff.