I help health and social care organisations build the leadership cultures that outstanding care depends on.

Many care organisations operate in constant reactivity: responding to inspections, staffing challenges, the responsibility of duty of care and compliance pressures without the time to think strategically. Leaders are promoted without structured development, cultures default to command-and-control, and accountability generally sits with one person.

Social care is very highly regulated and underfunded. Staff turnover is high because cultures are often not supportive. Over time, senior leaders burn out and leave the service.

My work in health and social care leadership addresses these issues at a systemic level. I support care organisations to close the gap between the values they hold and the cultures they actually live – which leads directly to better governance and better outcomes.

Hi, I’m Claire, a strategic partner and executive coach for health and social care organisations

Organisations look to me when they are serious about strengthening leadership, improving culture and accountability, and embedding high performance. I provide strategic support to care providers: CEOs, owners, boards and senior leaders. Executive coaching is part of this work, within a wider organisational strategy.

How did I get into this line of work?

My parents set up their care home more than three decades ago. I worked there from 1990 onwards, throughout school and university. Like most people in the sector, I fell into care and certainly didn’t expect to stay there. After completing a law degree, a post-grad diploma and trying different work, I was drawn back to care because, like a lot of people in the sector, it’s hard to imagine yourself doing anything else once you have stepped into social care. I certainly could not envisage myself working in law. The draw of working with people and actually making a difference was too strong. 

As a former care home manager, I have seen many of the issues and challenges faced by leaders on a regular basis. The Home I was director and registered manager for was awarded CQC Outstanding on its first inspection and has won many awards and accolades (including me personally winning the National Finals of the Great British Care Awards as being Registered Manager of the year for the UK in 2024).

Leadership in health and social care matters to me and care quality is both my passion and my profession. I deliberately built a values-led accountable culture that has sustained under pressure. To support me in this I completed my level 7 coaching qualification and am now registered with the EMCC as a senior level practitioner. 

With decades of experience in the sector, I’ve seen first hand the pressures faced by those leading teams in emotionally demanding and ever-changing settings. That’s why I founded Lumina Leadership: to support the people who support everyone else.

My work combines executive coaching, leadership development and team training to help leaders grow in confidence, communicate more effectively, and build compassionate, high-performing teams.

This work matters deeply to me because I’ve lived it. I’ve led teams, supported front-line staff, and navigated the real-life challenges of delivering care with compassion. When leaders feel supported, energised and clear-headed, everyone benefits. That’s the impact I’m committed to creating through Lumina Leadership.

My Mission

I want to see social care recognised for the vital skilled work it really is. Our business is relational and lasting, the work we do matters.

Too often the sector is undervalued despite carrying enormous responsibility and regulatory expectation. I believe that strong leadership cultures are one of the most powerful ways we can change this. Through Lumina Leadership, I help organisations create leadership cultures that are sustainable, values led, and capable of delivering outstanding care.

When leadership works well, everything improves: staff retention, team morale, care quality, and regulatory confidence.

My business is designed to give social care providers the time to think and then design cultures and operations that can change the face of social care. I hope it allows them to see what is possible.