In this episode of Care CEO Success Stories Podcast, Adam James of Springup PR interviews Geoffrey Cox, founder of Southern Healthcare, a family-run nursing home provider based in the southwest of England.
Since founding the company in 2001, Geoffrey has overseen the development and management of four nursing homes—three of which have earned an “Outstanding” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Originally a solicitor, Geoffrey transitioned into the care sector after 25 years in law and the sale of his legal practice.
His early experience in the industry was marked by challenges and steep learning curves, including struggles with culture, regulation, and team dynamics.
He was quick to recognise many care providers believed they were performing well, but he envisioned a more innovative, people-centred model.
At the heart of Geoffrey’s leadership philosophy is the belief that his role is to serve the team.
In this episode Geoffrey shares how your care provider can deliver outstanding care including:
- Geoffrey’s leadership ethos of his job being to “serve the team, to support and encourage, and to notice what people do well. That’s what leadership looks like to me.”
- Geoffrey’s move from law into healthcare having no prior experience but a strong drive to do things differently.
- How Southern Healthcare achieved three “Outstanding” ratings from the CQC.
- Geoffrey’s belief that “it’s not about people doing the job for me—they do it for themselves, because they share the mission.”
- The importance of building a passionate and loyal care team through appreciation, support, and recognition.
- How many mistakes were made early on, especially when trying to shift the culture in the homes he acquired.
- The struggles with changing cultures because “people thought they were already very good, and that mindset can be a real obstacle to progress.”
- The shift from “we know it all” attitudes to a culture of constant learning and openness to feedback.
- The struggle with poor regulatory feedback, difficulty in retaining good managers, and battling with occupancy and staffing issues.
- How taking over the training in-house with his wife Margo when external training providers proved ineffective and disconnected was a turning point.
- The inspiration he took from thinkers like Carl Rogers and Bill Thomas to improve training and care quality and how “we had to learn how to train effectively ourselves. It wasn’t easy, but it was essential.”
- The struggles with Covid-19 that “tested their team like never before,” particularly when an outbreak hit one of their homes but the team “were fearless, stepped up, and worked their socks off.
- How the current success of Southern Healthcare is a result of long-term persistence, strong partnerships, and deeply held values.