Exemplar Health Care appoints new Huntington’s Disease Nurse Consultant

Joanna McCabe has been named our first Huntington’s Disease Nurse Consultant, to further enhance the quality of care provided to people living with the neurodegenerative disease.

Joanna joins Exemplar Health Care’s Behaviour Support Team with 17 years of experience across numerous healthcare settings and services that support people living with Huntington’s Disease (HD).

Joanna’s career is driven by her passion to improve the lives of those with neuro-disabilities.

She most recently worked as a Specialist Advisor for the Huntington’s Disease Association (HDA) and was a key member of the team that developed the charity’s ‘Quality Assured’ accreditation.

Joanna also brings over a decade of experience supporting adults with Huntington’s disease in complex care settings as a Registered Nurse, Deputy Manager, and Registered Manager.

In her new role, Joanna will strengthen our Huntington’s disease training, the support provided to people living with the disease, and expand connections with other services and experts, including local NHS Huntington’s disease teams.  

At Exemplar Health Care, we currently support over 100 people living with Huntington’s disease across our complex needs care homes.

Joanna will use her first-hand expertise of the extensive criteria needed for HDA accreditation to help more Exemplar Health Care homes achieve the required standard.

There are currently just eight care homes in the UK that hold HDA accreditation, two of which are Exemplar Health Care services.

Joanna’s appointment forms part of our continued growth strategy and desire to provide high-quality complex nursing care in more communities so that more people can live better every day, receiving the support they need in a homely environment that is closer to their friends and family.

Joanna McCabe, Huntington’s Disease Nurse Consultant, Exemplar Health Care, said:

I’m delighted to join the Exemplar Health Care team at this exciting time. The work and dedication needed to provide the best possible support to people living with such a transformative condition as Huntington’s disease cannot be overstated.

“The Exemplar Health Care team has already demonstrated their commitment to excellence, and it’s a pleasure to be working alongside a group of healthcare professionals who are driven to deliver their mission of making every day better for the people they support.

In more than three decades of working in healthcare, I’ve seen every side of this neuro-disability and how it affects individuals and their loved ones. With that in mind, I cannot advocate strongly enough for the vital need for more expert Huntington’s disease care settings.

“I’m excited to join Exemplar Health Care to make this a reality so that even more people with Huntington’s disease can access the specialist care they deserve.”  

Helen Baxendale, Clinical Director, Exemplar Health Care, said:

“Exemplar Health Care’s history is grounded in making meaningful differences in the lives of the people it supports. Joanna joins the team with vital experience which will enable us to continue to aid those with Huntington’s disease to live as fulfilled lives as possible, with a proven track record of transforming the care they receive.

This is a highly complex condition that demands a high level of strategic planning and expertise to deliver effective care and, as we continue to invest and grow our team of experts, Joanna’s appointment represents a great boost to an already fantastic team.”