Whickham Villa News

Whickham Villa has promoted one of its managers to the position of business development director as the company looks to expand over the next few years.

Family owned Whickham Villa LLP, which operates Chase Park Rehabilitation Centre, Millfield House Care Home and a health club, has selected Alistair McDonald as the ideal candidate to take on the newly created senior role.

Alistair, who joined the business as a service development manager in 2008, has helped the existing service grow. As part of his new function, he will now oversee the continued improvement of existing business as well as drive the growth of new service offerings and new markets.

Boda Gallon, chief executive at Whickham Villa LLP, said: “Alistair has done a fantastic job since joining the business in terms of achieving high occupancy and usage across our care, rehabilitation and health club facilities.

“Furthermore, he has played an instrumental role in developing relationships with the local voluntary sector, health and social care bodies and NHS hospitals to ensure we are working in partnership with other organisations to deliver the highest standard of care and rehabilitation possible to clients that use our services.

“As part of his new role, Alistair will be the key figure in taking our successful blueprint here in Gateshead and replicating it across new facilities within the region,” added Boda.

Whickham Villa LLP is the leading neuro rehabilitation company in the North-East and primarily supports people with acquired brain and spinal injuries as well as complex neurological conditions and severe disabilities across its array of services.

Complementing the current healthcare reforms, the company’s business model has been developed to reduce long term care costs by enabling people to be discharged from acute settings more quickly and providing interventions earlier in the rehabilitation process. Importantly, this approach also means outcomes for the client are better in terms of improved quality of life, greater community involvement and successfully regaining independence.

Alistair McDonald, business development director at Whickham Villa LLP, said: “I’m delighted with my new position as it recognises the good work we have done over the past three years in raising the centre’s profile and developing new services.

“Aside from continuing to nurture relationships with clients, their families and carers, commissioners and various organisations to ensure our services are meeting people’s needs, my main focus will be on growing the business beyond its current facility.”

Over the past few years, the business has developed successful partnerships with many charitable organisations including, Headway, the MS Society and the North East Motor Neurone Disease Trust.

With a 25-year track record, the Tyneside-based specialist continues to maintain its client-focused culture whereby all its services are developed with the client and their families in mind. In 2010, the facility became only the third in the UK to be given Approved Provider Status by the charity Headway - the brain injury association.