Meet the consultants
We’re Lianne Ford and Donna North, the faces behind Excellence in Social Care.
Read on to learn more about our clinical experience, leadership backgrounds, and the passion that drives us to support teams across social care.
"Good governance should support teams, not overwhelm them.”
Lianne Ford, Founder and Consultant
Hi from Lianne
I'm a Registered Mental Health Nurse with over 12 years’ experience in health and social care.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked in a range of clinical and leadership roles across adult social care services.
Professional background
I graduated from Wolverhampton University in 2012 as a Registered Mental Health Nurse. My first role was a Staff Nurse in an inpatient acute psychiatric ward, before moving into social care.
My previous roles include:
- Unit Manager
- Clinical Nurse Manager
- Quality Manager
- Medication Manager
- Lead Nurse
- Head of Nursing.
They've given me a strong understanding of the realities of running regulated care services, including clinical governance, workforce development, and regulatory compliance.
“Sustainable improvement comes from empowering teams, not directing change at them”.
Donna North, Co-Founder and Consultant
Hi from Donna, I will be joining in January 2027.
Nursing is something I knew I wanted to do from a very young age. What began as a passion quickly became a true calling, and I feel privileged every day to work within such a rewarding profession.
Throughout my career, I've gained extensive experience across both the NHS and social care sectors, learning from exceptional mentors who helped shape the nurse and leader I am today.
Their guidance, alongside the experiences I've had supporting patients, families, and healthcare teams, has given me a deep understanding of compassionate, person-centred care.
I'm passionate about using my knowledge and experience to support and improve healthcare services, while continuing to advocate for high standards of care, professionalism, and empathy in everything I do.
Professional background
I graduated from Birmingham University in 2007 as a Registered General Nurse and moved into social care in 2009.
My roles since include:
- Registered Nurse
- Unit Manager
- Deputy Manager
- Home Manager
- Regional Support Manager
- Regional Director of Operations
- Head of Nursing
- Head of Quality
Recent education and training
- Master’s degree in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (ongoing)
- Level 5 Safeguarding Adults and Children
- Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) investigations
- RCN Infection Prevention and Control Programme
- Ombudsman Stage Two Complaint Handling
Why we started Excellence in Social Care
After many years working in senior roles across health and social care, we saw how difficult it can be for clinical leaders to access practical support when they need it most.
Too often, organisations receive generic advice that doesn’t reflect the realities of running a busy care service.
We founded Excellence in Social Care Consultancy to offer something different: nurse-led support that’s practical, collaborative, and grounded in real-world experience.
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Get in touch
If you’d like support with your service, team, or a specific challenge, please get in touch.
You can also book a free 15-minute discovery call to talk through what you need and how we can support you.
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