‘Thanks to Lifeways I am now doing the job I love’: new Registered Manager joins Rochdale service
Battling with blindness and a brain tumour hasn’t stopped Tracy Crabtree, Lifeways’ new Registered Manager of Elm Tree House in Rochdale, from doing the role she loves.
Getting to where she is today has been a fight for Tracy, whose career spans three decades in care. Back when she started her first job in the sector, as a domestic worker at a psychiatric hospital, Tracy witnessed poor levels of care.
Believing the hospital’s patients deserved far better, Tracy took on a nursing assistant role. “I knew I could provide better care to the patients,” she says.
She then completed a degree in Learning Disabilities studies, and took on her first management role. Then, two years later, after completing an NVQ Level 4 in Care, she became a Registered Manager at another provider.
Tracy stayed in the role for the next 15 years, until 2017 – when she received devastating news.
“I was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and lost most of my sight,” recalls Tracy. She’d been identified as having a rare condition which puts her at greater risk of cancer spreading elsewhere in her body.
‘I’m back’
After leaving her job to focus on recovery, treatments on Tracy’s tumour and her sight were successful. But due to her condition, she’ll be receiving treatment for the rest of her life.
As Tracy recovered, she prepared herself to return to social care, and this year became the Registered Manager of Elm Tree House in Rochdale.
“Thanks to Lifeways I am now doing the job I love,” says Tracy. “I’m back in the role of Registered Manager and it is like I have never been away from social care.”
She’s been enjoying the role, leading in extraordinary support for individuals at the service.
“The support I’ve received from Lifeways has been outstanding – and I’m aware there’s lots of career opportunities and comprehensive training opportunities,” says Tracy.
Tracy’s passionate about putting the people we support at the heart of everything she does.
She adds a key piece of advice she’s learned: “when making a decision, always put the person first and your decision will be right.”
We have two placements available at Elm Tree House. To find out more, contact our referrals team at [email protected].
About Elm Tree House:
Based in Rochdale, Lancashire, Elm Tree House provides extraordinary residential support for up to six adults who live with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, mental health conditions.
Elm Tree House is part of Lifeways, the UK’s largest team of professionals who support close to 5,000 adults in the community.
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