Sam McMahon
Care Home Manager @ South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust

Sam is the Care Home Manager of Newcroft Lodge in Holywood, Co Down. We find out more about his role.
Can you tell us how about your job and what you do from day to day?
I am registered with the RQIA as the registered manager of Newcroft lodge. I have 24 hour responsibility for a medium sized residential unit for residents who have a diagnosis of dementia. This means on a day to day basis I could be supporting my staff by administering medications; dealing with other members of the MDT; sitting reassuring a resident or relative who is struggling with carer burden or dealing with staff issues. I even have been known to fit in times for resident’s outings and residents parties from time to time.
How long have you been in your current role?
I started in this role on the 11th of April 2000; and have been in the role ever since.
What experience/education is required in order to perform this role?
In order to fulfil this role you are now required to have either a nursing or social work qualification and are required to possess a level 5 management qualification.
What is the biggest challenge in your role?
The biggest challenge for me is maintaining the volume of work that is required including meeting the minimum standards of the RQIA and still being available for residents and relatives who still like to have the visible presence of a manager in the home.
What advice would you give to others looking for a job in your field?
I have no regrets about staying in the field of nursing and specializing in the field of Dementia care; I am now entering my 23rd year in Psychiatric nursing since qualifying in April 1993 and have found it to be very rewarding and enriching.
If there was one piece of advice I would give it is to be willing to receive from those you care for not just to give-I am blessed that all of the residents I care for have had a rich life-time of experience the sad thing is that often we only see them when they need to receive care and support from us health care professionals-yet their lives can teach us so much more.
What do you like best about your role and working in HSC?
The thing I like best about my role and the HSC is the support you get from your peers and colleagues-I recently completed the succession planning program for band 7 managers and met many new friends and renewed one’s previously formed; this has given me a unique insight into the roles of other colleagues and given me a new network of people to contact when I need to know where to turn with something I am not sure about.