CEO, Millennium Care Homes The Millennium Care Journey Interview Ghulam Haider Founder Millennium Care Group Wigan, Greater Manchester
Tajammul Gurmani
Aims: When did you start this business and how many care homes do you have across the UK?
Ans: We have started the care home business about 30 years ago and are currently running 5 care homes.
Aims: What types of care do you provide?
Ans: We are providing Residential, Nursing, Dementia, and Dementia with Nursing facilities.
Aims: Millennium Care recently received B Corp accreditation. What’s your strategy and day-to-day operations?
Ans: Accredited in July 2024, becoming the first UK care home provider to earn this accreditation, scoring 81.2 on the B Impact Assessment, which is well above the average score of 50.9. We reflected performance across governance, worker well-being, community engagement, environment, and customer care. We have set up dedicated B Leaders spanning across care home managers and head office to review B Corp criteria and integrate it into every policy. We are committed to consider workers, community, environment, and residents in all decisions, not just shareholder returns. We run regular staff workshops and collect improvement ideas, better waste sorting, and new community partnerships. We carry out regular surveys and work to action plans for improvements. Staff voice is built into our governance. We have created a feedback platform for staff called “Your Millennium Voice” and management are accountable for acting on feedback. We hold regular staff meetings where team members can propose changes. We work with Intergenerational England, supporting projects that bring children into homes for shared art or music sessions. We partner with local charities such as Wigan Youth Zone to design activities and support the local community. Our latest home, Langtree, is designed with modern efficiency standards, outdoor access for residents, and low-carbon design elements. Our supplier policies screen for sustainability and locally sourced food. Residents are involved in green initiatives such as gardening and recycling projects. We produce an annual impact report that publicly documents what we have achieved and what we still need to improve for each stakeholder group.
Aims: Can you share a recent initiative that improves your values?
We were a gold sponsor for the “Access All Ages” launch, hosted at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. The event featured music workshops that brought participants together aged 3 to 103. We didn’t just fund the event, we integrated prior programming into our homes. Managers and staff had already worked with Intergenerational Music Making and Intergenerational England to bring music sessions into our everyday calendars.
Aims: You are following the Care and Independence household model. What are the biggest benefits and challenges you see in growing this model?
Ans: Langtree and Worthington Lake follow the household model and their designs include small households with dedicated kitchen and living spaces, enabling residents to choose activities, help prepare food, and maintain autonomy. The household model creates a better staff and resident relationship. Consistent staffing means less reliance on agency workers and more trust. Staff satisfaction improves because they see the outcomes of their care more directly. We have seen a reduction in resident distress and anxiety, lower use of antipsychotics, and fewer hospital admissions.
Aims: How do you ensure the quality?
Ans: All of our homes are rated Good or Outstanding with CQC. Regular internal audits mirror CQC domains to prepare for inspections and improve quality. Staff receive training on best practice standards. Most recently, staff received training in Material Citizenship with Dr Kellyn Lee. Material Citizenship is a person-led care approach that focuses on how everyday objects, possessions, and environments enable people, especially those with dementia, to retain agency, identity, and well-being.
Aims: Your care homes provide green spaces and unique design. How do these features impact the residents’ mental and physical health?
Ans: Our commitment to green spaces and the household design isn’t just aesthetic, it is strongly tied to better mental and physical health outcomes for residents, especially older adults and people living with dementia. The benefits include: Stress reduction – access to greenery lowers cortisol levels and reduces agitation. Mood elevation – nature views and time outdoors are proven to lift mood, reduce depression, and increase feelings of well-being. Sense of normalcy – gardens create familiar, homelike environments that support reminiscence and orientation. Encourages movement – even light gardening, walking or sitting outside involves more physical activity than staying indoors. Improved sleep – daylight exposure helps regulate circadian rhythms, reducing sleep disturbances that are common in dementia. Respiratory health – better air quality and ventilation when doors and windows open onto green space
