Linden Care Homes Limited – Case Study

We are pleased to announce that Linden Care Homes Limited have been certified to three standards within just four months. The standards they have achieved are: ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environmental) and BS OHSAS 18001 (Health and Safety).

Linden Care Homes established in 1990 offer residential care to elderly adults including nursing and dementia care. They currently have two residential homes located in Tamworth and one in Nuneaton with a fourth due to open in the area next year.

Linden Care Homes initially achieved BS OHSAS 18001 in September 2017 before achieving ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 in January this year. The company wanted to implement these standards as a way to improve customer satisfaction and the efficiency of the business.  By creating an integrated management system which was efficient and effective, they could standardise processes, documentation and procedures across their sites.

Standards ensure compliance to legal and statutory requirements, develop and improve the safety culture, reduce impact on the environment, encourage employee morale and drive development of skills.

Linden Care Homes feel that by implement these three standards, they have shown their commitment to performance. It has enhanced the company’s reputation and has given confidence to both their residents and their families that the company is well organised, well led and continually looking to improve.  Internally an integrated management system has provided a wealth of benefits including waste reduction, improved employee morale and a better and more disciplined way of working.  It has allowed the team to make continued improvements to their processes and procedures across the business whilst also improving leadership and team ownership at all levels.

Should you be looking to implement a management system, Linden Homes recommend that you put time into planning what you want to do and the timescales you wish to work to. They comment, “it is important to carry out a GAP analysis first. Decide within the organisation who is best qualified to run the project and ensure time is allowed for them to work on it.  Do not rush implementation, ensure that the whole organisation understands the process and benefits of achieving certification.” 

On their experience with working with ISO Quality Services Limited, Director Debbie Leyland commented, “they have been very influential in helping us achieve certification. It was more important to us to have an Integrated Management System that made the business effective and efficient rather than having the certificate pinned on the wall. ISO Quality Services provided us with guidance, support in creating an action plan and actively worked with the Senior Management team to assist us meeting our goal. The result is that by having solid foundations we are able to build on this and look to continually improve as situations happen.”