A NEW £21m Chester care village – set to open in spring 2022 – has appointed its general manager.

Dementia specialist care operator, Belong, has named Patrick Butler as the general manager of Belong Chester care village and nursery on on City Road.

Patrick, who lives in Nantwich, brings with him more than 30 years of care experience, including leading numerous care facilities across the region.

Most recently, he held a number of senior positions with Bupa Care Services, overseeing multi-site environments with nursing, dementia and residential care provision, as well as taking up a regional director role and building positive relationships with stakeholders including local authorities, NHS clinical commissioning groups and the general public.

Patrick said: "I’m thrilled to be leading the new Belong Chester care village. I’m passionate about care for all ages and, having previously worked in the city, I'm pleased to be back and looking forward to setting the highest care standards from day one.

"Our goal is to build what will become the premier dementia care service in West Cheshire."

Patrick’s experience in childcare will also lend itself well to the post, with Belong Chester set to become the organisation’s first care village with an on-site nursery, and the first of its kind in the North West.

In the 1990s, he ran two successful nurseries in nearby Shropshire – both of which are still operating today.

The Nursery in Belong will provide a high-quality care environment for up to 25 children from birth to five years, offering shared learning experiences for children and the village’s residents, as well as a blueprint for intergenerational practice.

Stacey McCann, chief operating officer at Belong, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to the team. He is incredibly passionate about care and his empathy and engaging manner have enabled him to foster strong relationships as he’s earned his reputation as a care leader in the region.

"We know he is keen to make Belong Chester a happy place to live and work when we open in spring 2022."

Also joining the Belong Chester team will be Caroline Newton, who will be responsible for all care as the CQC-registered support manager.

Caroline moves from Belong Atherton in Greater Manchester, having demonstrated an exceptional performance as lead senior support worker at the CQC Outstanding-rated care village.

She was also named ‘Best Carer who Contributes to Activity Provision’ at the 2018 National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) Gala.

Recruitment at the village is ongoing, with opportunities for support workers, catering, housekeeping and administration roles set to open in spring 2022.

Interest can be registered now at: https://www.belong.org.uk/jobs-with-belong