Care chief on most 'challenging but rewarding experience'

The Herald Scotland

10 hours ago

The company is committed to investing in its local community and Mr Taylor is proud that a large number of staff have worked for Parklands for more than a decade.
What is your business called?
Parklands Care Homes
Where is it based?
We're headquartered in Grantown‑on‑Spey and operate 13 care homes across the Highlands, Moray, and Aberdeenshire.
What does it produce/do?
We provide high‑quality residential and nursing care for around 450 older people.
To whom does it sell?
Like other care providers, we have a mix of self‑funded residents and those whose care is paid for by the state. The majority of the people we care for come from the local community.
What is its turnover?
In 2023, we reported a turnover of £23.2 million. This reflects the fact that we've grown significantly over the past two years following our acquisition of at‑risk care homes in Keith, Cullen and Huntly. As a family-run business with strong local roots, we're committed to reinvesting back into the communities we serve — funding new care capacity, improving our existing homes, and investing in our people. That's been our approach for over 30 years.
Last year, we commissioned a study which found that Parklands currently contributes £27.5 m annually in gross value added to the Scottish economy — a figure set to rise to £41.4m by 2028.
How many employees?
We employ around 900 staff. What humbles me most is that many of our staff have been with us for over a decade — some since the very first day. To me, that speaks volumes about the culture we've built over the past 30 years.
Why did you take the plunge?
As a student, I found myself caring for my grandfather, Andrew. My father had passed away when I was very young, and he became a father figure for me.
Caring for him was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but also one of the most rewarding. It inspired me to open our first care home in Buckie in 1993, where the focus would always be on delivering high‑quality, person‑centred care — just as I had tried to do for him.
What were you doing before?
I was CEO of Aberdeen Enterprise Trust and before that CEO of Moray Enterprise Trust.
What do you least enjoy?
The bureaucracy and red tape. I absolutely understand the need for robust regulation — but at times it can feel overwhelming and divert focus away from what really matters: caring for people.
What are your ambitions for the firm?
We've recently opened a new £11 million care home in Inverness, the first phase of a long-term vision for an integrated care community that will also include a later living village and affordable housing for key workers.
We're also investing £4.5 million to expand existing homes in Tain, Fortrose and Grantown‑on‑Spey. Longer term, we have plans to build new care facilities in Elgin, Turriff and Alford. By 2028, we expect a 60% increase in the number of care beds we can offer.
As we grow, it's vital that we stay true to the values on which Parklands was founded, with a strong focus on raising care standards across all our homes. The majority of our facilities already hold a Care Inspectorate rating of 5 (very good), and I am committed to making this the benchmark across the group — and going even further. Earlier this year Parklands won a national Care Home Award for 'Best for Wellbeing.' That meant a lot to the team – it shows that our homes aren't just places of care, but spaces where residents can flourish and enjoy a high quality of life.
What single thing would most help?
More recognition and support for the care sector, especially in rural areas, including fair funding and incentives to recruit and retain staff. The cost of providing complex care has risen sharply, but funding hasn't kept pace. As a result, we're being asked to do more with less, and the sector is struggling - in the Highlands alone, more than 200 care beds have been lost in just two years. Without a fairer funding model, I fear many more care homes will be forced to close.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?
That people are the heart of any business. By investing in staff and creating a culture of trust, compassion and belonging, you can build an environment where both staff and residents thrive.
Where do you find yourself most at ease?
Fishing on the River Spey, enjoying the tranquillity of the Highlands without the phone! I'm also a keen skier — I was a ski instructor in my twenties — and I still try to get out on the slopes when I can. And whenever possible, I'll be at Old Trafford, supporting Manchester United.
If you weren't in your current role, what job would you most fancy?
I'm a bit of a Trekkie, so in an ideal (and totally fantasy) world, I'd be in charge of the Starship Enterprise. Kirk and Spock made changing the world look easy—bish, bash, bosh—and it was done. I wish I could do that today!
What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?
'Our family caring for yours.' That has been our motto from day one - it reminds me every day why we do what we do.
What is the best book you have ever read? Why is it the best?
Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
Growing up in a rural northeast community, the themes still resonate with me. It's about the resilience of the human spirit and the forces of change. Partly written in Doric, it celebrates cultural identity, where the main character, a woman, navigates change in a rural setting.
What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?
Navigating the Covid‑19 pandemic. Ensuring the safety and well‑being of staff and residents while adapting to unprecedented restrictions and pressures was incredibly challenging. It was heartbreaking to have to close our homes to visitors, and a very stressful time for residents, their families, and our employees. But it was also a time of great solidarity — seeing people and communities rally to support one another was truly inspiring.
What do you now know that you wish you had known when starting out in your career?
Be confident, be resilient and don't chase perfection, it's a moving target.
Believe in yourself. Big things are done by positive people. It's too easy to be intellectually negative. And never underestimate the power of kindness — it builds bridges you may be thankful for later.