Melanie James

I am a registered nurse with just under a decade of experience in both acute medicine and nursing homes.

My current position in management has allowed me to grow as a leader and ensure high quality care in the private sector.

Deputy Home Manager at Harbour Healthcare – Fleetwood Heights Care Home (2026-03 – Present)

Deputy Manager of a 75 bedded home providing residential and advanced dementia care to private and ICB / local authority funded residents (previously nursing care too). 80% private occupancy. Shared responsibility with the Registered Manager in all aspects of running of the home.

• Complete assessments, oversee admissions and support occupancy growth
• Manage rotas, staffing levels and agency use
• Share responsibility for the home's budget, including agency, kitchen and activities spend
• Present budget improvements to the senior leadership team each week
• Oversee care plans, daily audits, safeguarding referrals and CQC notifications
• Lead ICB inspections and implementing of action plans
• Lead resident reviews and manage communication with families
• Handle complaints and de-escalate concerns
• Lead during medical emergencies and provide clinical support to staff
• Deliver training and practical competency sessions
• Improve shift structure and staff responsibilities across the home

Registered Nurse at MHA – Laurel Court Nursing Home (2024-03 – 2026-03)

Supporting a non-clinical Registered Manger in the day to day running of the nursing unit within a large 95 bedded home, regularly acting as the nurse in charge.

• Oversight of all assessments and admissions into the home
• Implementation of weekly staff safety huddles
• Introduction of peer checks for agency staff, leading to a significant reduction in errors and safeguards
• Improvement of handover process and documentation
• Supervision of staff members, competency assessments, return to work interviews and sign off of nurses
• Conducting regular medication audits and quality checks
• Ensuring one to one recording and use of statements for accurate root cause analysis when handling incidents
• Learning & understanding the key areas of the CQC assessment framework
• Main nurse for GP rounds, building strong relationships with local GPs

Recruitment Consultant at LINQ Healthcare (2023-11 – 2024-01)

A 360-recruitment role following my time at Cavalry Healthcare. I recruited for clinical and mid-management positions across elderly nursing homes and specialist care businesses in the midlands and north. Reason for leaving – whilst I had essentially realised by the time I left Cavalry Healthcare, I missed nursing and decided I wanted to build a career within the care home sector (having spent more than 6 months recruiting within this area of care).

A poor culture at LINQ prompted me to leave before having secured another role.

Recruitment Consultant at Cavalry Healthcare (2023-05 – 2023-10)

At Cavalry Healthcare, I was a 360-recruitment consultant, running a temp nurse and HCA desk for elderly nursing homes across Bolton, Wigan and Bury. Reason for leaving – despite a personal strong start, the Manchester office was the newest location and was loss making. Whilst planning to downsize and ultimately close this office, they let me go.

• £14k revenue achieved within first 3 months on what was a completely cold desk
• Monthly gross profit of £5300
• Won new accounts for the Manchester office
• Several face-to-face visits with clients conducted solo
• Consistently top of company call stats

Staff Nurse at NHSP (2019-12 – 2023-05)

Part of the NHS bank staff from Dec 2019 to Apr 2022. Full time NHSP nurse from Apr 2022 to May 2023. Primarily at Fairfield Hospital & Salford Royal, within A&E, Frailty Ward and in their Outpatient Departments. This includes running clinics for injections, ENT, orthopaedics, ophthalmology etc. I was activity part of the care of various patients from cardiac arrests to wound care. My skills were carried and adapted to these areas when I worked full time with NHSP.