One year of Mac Research and Consultancy 🎉
A year ago, Mac Research was an idea built on more than twenty years in Scottish social care and one simple belief: that good regulation and good care should be about the person at the centre of it all. Today, I'm proud to look back on what we've built together.
In our first year, we've supported providers across Scotland and England through Care Inspectorate and CQC registrations, mock inspections, quality assurance reviews, operational oversight and leadership support. We've helped new services open their doors, supported established services through improvement journeys, and worked alongside teams in care homes, care at home, housing support, supported living and recovery services.
Some of the milestones I'm most proud of:
We've grown a team of experienced consultants, including colleagues in England who bring former CQC and operations management backgrounds, which has strengthened our ability to support providers on both sides of the border. We've developed comprehensive, legislation-aligned policy and procedure suites and audit frameworks built around one question: what does this change for the people supported? We've launched our dementia training offer, aligned to the Promoting Excellence framework, alongside new CPD modules in Positive Behaviour Support, Restrictive Practice and Trauma-Informed Practice.
What this year has taught me
The sector is under enormous pressure, with rising complexity, tight funding and constant change in staff teams. But in every service we've worked with, I've met people who are deeply committed to doing the right thing. Our role isn't to add more paperwork; it's to help teams gather the right evidence, cut duplication and focus energy where it makes a real difference. Objective, supportive oversight, built into how a service runs rather than bolted on before an inspection, is what creates lasting improvement.
I've also learned that trust is everything. Providers invite us in at some of their most challenging moments, and that's a privilege we never take lightly.
Thank you
To every client who trusted us, to our consultants and associates, and to Paul Bunton, my co-director, for walking this road with me: thank you. And to the frontline staff and managers we work alongside every day, you are the reason we do this.
Here's to year two. We're just getting started.
Arlene Bunton
Director, Mac Research and Consultancy Limited
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