The Mayor of Knowsley declares Fernwood care home officially open

Our new care home, Fernwood, which supports adults living with complex mental health conditions, dementia, neuro-disabilities and physical disabilities, was officially opened last week.

The services offered at Fernwood are currently in high demand and meet local needs, meaning that more people living with complex needs can benefit from often life changing high-quality nursing care in a supportive community-based environment.

“An environment that fosters inclusivity and empowerment”

Valerie Ward, Home Manager at Fernwood, said: “I’m deeply committed to creating an environment that fosters inclusivity and empowerment, and I’m certain the home will have a profoundly positive impact as we can support more people in a homely setting that they can make their own.

“The whole team wants to create a warm and vibrant community where individuals can thrive, families can find support, and where compassionate care is at the forefront of everything we do.”

Lindsay Holcroft, Commissioning Manager at Exemplar Health Care, said: “We’re thrilled to announce the grand opening of our state-of-the-art care home in Knowsley following an extensive refurbishment of the building. This new home embodies our commitment to providing exceptional care and support to those living with complex care needs. 

“We know this type of service is in high demand for individuals and families in the Knowsley area and our dedicated team is looking forward to working with local Commissioners, Social Workers, and families to make a positive difference to people that need long term nursing care and support.”

“Important investment into our town”

We invited the Mayor to join in celebrating the opening of our new care home in Knowsley.

Commenting on his visit, Councillor Eddie Connor said: “I welcome this important investment into our town, which not only brings a much-needed new home to the region for local people with complex care needs, but also provides job opportunities for local staff.” 

After enjoying a tour of the home, the Mayor cut a ceremonial ribbon and declared Fernwood officially open. 

Extensive refurbishment of a former elderly care home

Our new home is the result of a restoration of the former building, an elderly care home, Knowsley Manor which closed in March 2022. 

When refurbishing Fernwood, we created an environment to support the quality of life for the people who live here. 

We’ve found that smaller group living provides a more homely, supportive and responsive care environment. So, we converted the existing 50-bedded building to create larger bedrooms with more communal areas. The home now has two fourteen-bed communities, with each of the 28 large bedrooms having its own en-suite wet room.

We designed areas to encourage close-knit communities within the home. So, each unit has a dining area, lounge, quiet lounge and sensory bathrooms. 

The home now has a beauty salon, a therapy room, an activities hub, a multi-faith area and landscaped the private gardens. 

When decorating Fernwood, we made sure the home felt warm and inviting, with all the comforts of home. The home is tastefully decorated in an animal theme, with a slight nod to the local Knowsley Safari Park.

Take a video tour of Fernwood:

With 25 years of experience, Exemplar Health Care is one of the country’s leading nursing care providers for adults living with complex and high acuity needs. 

For a complex care placement in the Knowsley area, contact our Referrals Team on 01709 565 777.