AN AWARD-winning care home professional has been appointed to run the new specialist care facility at the former Malsis School in Glusburn.

Lisa Gardner, who is taking charge of Malsis Hall in advance of its opening this summer, has more than 30 years’ experience in the care sector after qualifying as a nurse in the 1990s and working her way up to senior managerial positions.

She has won several national awards for her work, including the Service Manager Award in 2014 and the Family Carer Choice Award in 2016, which was voted for by service uusers and their families.

Lisa’s career has primarily been based in the North East and Cumbria, focusing on providing care for vulnerable people who have complex and multiple needs.

She has previously had significant successes in supporting people with mental health conditions to return to independent living.

Enhanced Community Healthcare Options (ECHO) is currently converting Malsis Hall into a care centre providing recovery and rehabilitation for people with mental health conditions, often resulting from psychological trauma.

The service will be accepting referrals from local authorities and the NHS within a 30-mile radius.

The facility will also include three sports pitches, a sports pavilion and community meeting rooms for members of the public to use.

Lisa said Malsis Hall was a wonderful building with a lot of history.

She said: “It’s going to be a beautiful, therapeutic environment for our residents, and they are going to love the facilities and the grounds.

“It is essential when someone is recovering from a mental health condition that they can do so in a calming atmosphere with plenty of access to the community for support.

“Not only is Malsis Hall close enough to the village that our residents will enjoy visiting regularly, but the facilities, such as the sports pitches, will draw the local people to see us too.”

Andrew Shelton Murray, director of ECHO, described Lisa as an exceptional nurse and a well-respected, experienced leader, adding: “Her track record and the recognition she has received, both from peers and members of the public, speaks for itself.

“Malsis Hall is going to be a fantastic facility for the whole community, providing local services and jobs for local people, and we needed the right person in place to ensure it is the success it deserves to be.”

Malsis Hall will officially open at the end of August, with a public open day on September 6.

Visit echouk.net/careers-working-for-echo or email recruitment@echouk.net for details of job vacancies at Malsis Hall.