Welsh Referrals

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Meet The Team

Senior Management Team

John Farragher

Executive Chairman

John is the founder, owner and Chairman of Potens.

John is a Learning Disability Nurse.

He said: “Born near Birkenhead docks a long while ago – I’ll admit to being in my fifties!

Concert Pianist, Astrophysicist, Raconteur and Olympic Athlete are just a few of the things I’m not known for.

Trained as an Learning Disability Nurse in early 80’s which started the incredible journey leading to the privileged position I am at today.”

 

Nicki Stadames

Chief Operating Officer

Registered Nurse (RNMH)

Nicki is Potens Chief Operating Officer, with 20 years’ operational experience in the Health and Social Care Sector. Whilst Nicki has previously worked in both Local Authority and Charitable organisations, the vast majority of her experience is in the Private sector. Nicki joined the company as the Registered Manager of the one and only Registered Home and has grown alongside the Organisation in partnership with those who live and work within.

Nicki has been with Potens since 1996

Tom Arnold

Finance Director

ACA & BA (Hons) Economics

Tom is the Director of Finance for Potens. He is a chartered accountant with over 20 years finance experience working in the health and social care sector. He has previously worked as a Finance Director of a GP out of hours service and a company providing healthcare in secure environments.

Tom has been with Potens since 2004

Noreen Mitchell

Regional Director North & West

Noreen has over 30 years’ experience working in social care across a range of organisations. Noreen completed a BA (hons) Community Management & Post Grad Diploma in Management.

As Potens Director of Quality Noreen takes overall responsibility for the organisations quality functions and framework to ensure the people we support receive the highest possible standard of support and Services continue to be developed and operated to comply with our Regulators (CQC / CIW / RQIA / Ofsted) and all relevant best practice. Noreen is keen to support practice development and improvement by visiting services and talking & listening to people across the organisation.

During her down time Noreen likes strength training with weights, getting out and going for a long walk in the fresh air. She enjoys reading and crosswords, sudoku, wordle, scrabble – anything to keep her brain active.

Noreen has been with Potens since 2007.

Bettina Jeppesen

Regional Director South

Operations Director South

BA (hons) in Sociology and Social Policy. Advanced Diploma in Dual Diagnosis (Mental Health & Substance Misuse)

Bettina has around 30 years’ experience in the social care sector, 15 of these working in senior manager positions. Bettina has worked across third sector and private companies, predominantly supporting people with learning disabilities, mental health conditions or a range of additional complex needs. She has delivery experience from a range of different types of services including; registered care, supported living, floating support and community activity based services.

Bettina joined Potens in the summer of 2017

Glenn Barnett

Director of Care - Wales

Regional Director – Wales

Registered Nurse (RNMH), Registered Managers Award (RMA), ILM Level 5 Management and IOSH.

Glenn is responsible for Potens’ Welsh provision and is the Responsible Individual working closely with CIW to maintain compliance. With over 30 years clinical experience in both Learning Disability and Mental Health, Glenn has worked in a variety of settings and locations throughout England & Wales.

Glenn joined Potens in 2006 as a registered manager, progressed to Area Manager for North Wales, and now is Regional Director for Welsh services

Frank Walsh

Workforce Development Director

Associate CIPD, BSc (Hons) Degree Technology Management, L5 Dip Business Advisor & NEBOSH Certificate

Frank has over 20 years’ experience working with organisations from a variety of sectors in helping them to develop their workforce development practices. At Potens he is responsible for planning, reviewing and evaluating the company Learning & Development, HR and Health & Safety strategies.

Frank Joined Potens in 2011

Guy Page

Development Director

BSc Human Psychology

Guy is Potens Business Development Director and has over 19 years experience within Health and Social Care in both the public and private sectors. With a background in Psychology he has worked in both relationship management and development roles as well as a contracts and commissioning roles – understanding both sides of the sector. Guy has a real passion for developing services that meet the needs of the people we support to evolve with them.

Guy joined Potens in December 2022

Dan Bryan

Director of Commercial Operations

Dan is Potens Director of Commercial Operations.

He developed his early career in retail, representing Marks & Spencer Plc in several senior roles, before diversifying to the Housing, Health & Social Care sector in 2011. He has represented both private and not-for-profit organisations within the sector in senior leadership roles since then, utilising his commercial and service focused experience to drive change initiatives that improve service, systems, and process, delivering improvement projects and efficiencies that directly benefit front-line service delivery.

Dan leads several operational support functions within Potens, enabling front-line colleagues to focus on delivering amazing outcomes for the people we support. He has overall responsibility for the commercial operations management, financial performance, and relationship building within Potens, while driving the companies service development and growth strategies.

Outside of work, Dan is a husband, father to two primary school aged children, and a dog owner. He is active is his local community where he is a school governor and coach to his son’s junior football team.

Dan joined Potens in September 2023.

 

Marie Patterson

Operations Director

Operations Director (North)

PGCE (QTLS), MEd Leadership & Management, MSc Psychology, Level 5 Health & Social Care

Marie has over 17 years of leadership experience gained within educational settings and social care services (adults and children). She has significant experience as a Registered Manager, and over the past 10 years she has fulfilled various senior operational management positions at regional and national level within the charity sector, developing specialist supported housing services for adults with learning disabilities, autism, forensic histories, challenging behaviour and mental health conditions, catering for high and low intensity support needs. In her spare time, she is also a charity trustee.

Marie joined Potens in October 2023.

Area Managers

Danny Coyne – Wirral

Area Manager

QCF Level 3 & 5 Leadership & Management in Social Care.

Danny has 17 years’ experience in Health & Social Care settings including learning disability, mental health, dual diagnosis, nursing and residential settings. He has worked in depth with challenging behaviours, complex and palliative care along with transforming care and transitions.

An experienced multi-site Regional Manager, he has an interest in setting up new services and TUPE.

Danny joined Potens in January 2023 and is the Area Manager for Wirral supported living and residential services.

Dave Ridley

Area Manager -Midlands

Dave has over 30 years’ experience working in the health and social care sector.

A Registered Nurse, he has significant experience working with adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs.

Dave joined Potens in 2015 and is the Area Manager for our East Midland services.

Tara Hedges

Area Manager – South West

Bsc (Hons) Psychology, QCF level 5 in Leadership and Management in Adult social care.

Tara has over 10 years experience working within the adult learning disability sector. After graduating university Tara began her career as a support worker, and has since progressed into several management and senior management roles – specialising in homes that support people with complex needs and behaviours that challenge.

Tara joined Potens in September 2021

Jayne Dakic

Area Manager – South Central

RMA, A1 assessor, NVQ 5, Portage HV award.

Over the past 38 years Jayne has work across most care sectors including babies, children and family services , adults with mental health, learning disabilities, addiction, duel diagnosis, challenging behaviours, autism PMLD , specialised complex physical and health needs and people with life limiting diagnosis, in the NHS, local authority, and private sector.

For the past 15 years alongside her senior management and operational roles she has been working in service crisis management, safeguarding and part of the WSCC emergency response team.

Jayne started at Potens in February 2021.

Mike Barton

Area Manager

Dip HE Management; Level 5 Disabilities Studies; Certificate in Counselling.

Mike has over 30 years’ operational experience working in the Health & Social Care sector both in the UK and Ireland, within a variety of roles and settings including; housing associations, charitable, voluntary and private sector companies.

Mike oversees Potens’ services in Northern Ireland, Liverpool and St Helens.

Mike Joined Potens in 2011 as a Registered Manager.

Michelle McColl

Area Manager (Lancashire)

Leadership and Management Level 5

Michelle has worked in Social Care since 1988, with a focus on working with adults with learning disabilities and mental health and a passion for promoting good mental health and the recovery model within our services.

Joining Potens as a Registered Manager in 2009,  Michelle lead Potens’ CQC outstanding (across all 5 domains) service Mansard House, she was promoted to Locality Manager in 2018 and is now Potens’ Area Manager for Lancashire.

 

Business Development Team

Billy Dawson

BSc Business Management

Billy has worked within the health and social care sector since January 2017 where he was employed as a residential care worker within children’s services before gaining over four years experience within referral management and commissioning. Billy has experience of working effectively with professionals from various disciplines including social care, education, clinical teams and local authorities. Billy is committed to ensuring the commissioning of services is legal, responsible and keeps the people that we support central to the whole process.

Billy covers our East Region and joined Potens in June 2023.

Services Development Team

Stuart Rush

Service Development Manager

Stuart has worked in Health and Social care for 25 years.

He has worked across all levels from Support worker, Team leader, Deputy Manager, Registered Manager to Senior Manager mainly in Residential Services and dual qualified for Children and Adults.

Stuart has worked with Potens since 2016 but did have a 12 month break to work across Crisis Childrens centres.

Stuart is passionate about developing systems to promote positive team working to deliver quality care, enrichment and wellbeing.

Lorraine Hollis

Service Development Manager (East)

Lorraine has worked in Health and Social Care for 30 years.

She has worked across all levels from Practitioner to Senior Manager. Lorraine has developed and managed a number of multi-disciplinary teams including Residential Services, Day Services, Community Treatment Teams for both Adults and Young People.

Before joining Potens in October 2019 Lorraine worked for a National Charitable Organisation within the People Directorate as the lead for Management Development.

Judith Hacking

Service Development Manager (West)

Registered Nurse (RNMH), Executive Diploma in Management Studies, Registered Managers Award.

Judith has over thirty years experience within the Health and Social Care Sector, working in a range of settings within the NHS, charitable and private sectors.  Judith’s previous roles  have included; Service Improvement Manager Regional, Operations Manager and Culture Champion.

Judith joined Potens in 2018

Chris Browne

Operational Support Manager

MA Community Care Management

Chris has over 25 years’ experience in social care primarily working with people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health issues as well as experience in housing and working with people with physical disability.

Chris is  experienced in national governance issues having sat on national boards, holding a national brief for the support of children with disabilities and been the organisational lead on child protection.

Chris joined Potens in March 2018

Positive Support Team

Dave Walton

Positive Behaviour Facilitator (West)

Degree in Psychology, Advanced Professional Diploma in PBS

Dave has worked in the social care sector since 2002, starting off in children’s’ care, supporting people with Autism as a care officer before moving on in to team leader and manager roles. During this time Dave became an Advanced Practioner in Intensive Interaction and is PECS and Makaton trained. Dave also worked as a Behaviour Management Trainer delivering 3 day BILD accredited courses and behaviour support co-ordinator.

Dave joined Potens in 2018

Georgina Tiller

PBS Facilitator (South)

RNLD, BSC Hons Health & Social Care, Certificate in Education (PTLLS).

Georgia is a Positive Behaviour Support Facilitator for Potens based in the South. She is a registered Learning Disability Nurse and has been in this field for almost 30 years.  She has worked in a vast number of settings private, voluntary and public sectors including with children, young people, adults and elder care and mental health.   Georgia has previously worked in management and has taught Health and Social Care courses for over 18 years.

Georgia joined Potens  in January 2017.

Support Functions

Graeme James

Commercial Accountant

Graeme is Potens’ Commercial Accountant. He has over 15 years finance experience in public and private sector organisations, gaining a real passion and expertise for the health & social care sector previously working for a leading national care provider.

Graeme has worked in Senior Operational Finance roles for the past 7 years, partnering with leadership teams to improve their overall commercial and strategic performance.

Graeme joined Potens in August 2018

Nikki Carpenter

Finance Manager

ACCA (certificate Level) & AAT

Nikki is the Finance Manager for Potens supervising the accounts team and providing support to operations, she works closely with the Finance Director.

She has over 20 years accounting experience within a range of organisations including; charitable, voluntary and private sector with considerable expertise working within the health and social care sector and understanding the needs of the business.

Nikki has been with Potens since 2010

Matt Gardiner

Facilities Director

Matt is Potens’ Facilities Director heading up the facilities and estates team at Potens.

Matt has over 20 years experience within the construction and property industry, with Health and Care sector focus, is a member of the IWFM and holds a Prince 2 Project management qualification.

Matt joined Potens in 2019.

Pauline Davies

Office Manager

Pauline has over 10 years’ experience in a variety of roles covering Human Resources, Quality Assurance and Administration Management.

Based at Potens Head Office in Birkenhead, Pauline’s role manages and supports the administration function across all Potens services and areas.

She has significant experience working within the health and social care sector, understanding the needs of the business.

Pauline started with Potens in 2015

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