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Our team at
Darlington Court

Trusted to care in Littlehampton, West Sussex

Trusted to care in Littlehampton, West Sussex|With over 40 years’ experience,
Care UK are experts in delivering award winning care|Care UK is the most awarded care home provider for the last five years|Discover why Care UK is trusted to care by over 16,000 families

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Meet our friendly care team

It takes a lot of people to make a home like ours work smoothly, and to keep our lovely residents happy. It's nice to have an idea of who may be caring for your loved one when they move in, so you can find out more about them on these pages.

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Costin Matei

Home Manager

Costin Matei

As Home Manager, the most important part of my role is making sure residents receive safe, compassionate, high-quality care in a home where they feel comfortable, respected and valued.

Before joining the team at Darlington Court, I was a home manager for another large organisation. While there, I was able to help achieve a number of positive outcomes, including improving standards and developing a strong team. Joining Care UK felt like the right next step for me, as it is an established home with a strong team that genuinely makes a positive difference to residents and their families.

I believe that a good home manager should be approachable, resilient, organised and genuinely caring. I think you also need to be a good listener and to remember that residents are at the heart of everything we do.

I’m really proud of what we all do here, and it is always rewarding to see residents well cared for and happy, and to see colleagues work well together. Knowing that we have such a beneficial impact on people’s daily lives is something I value greatly, so when I was recognised as a Queen’s Nurse for my contribution to care, it meant so much to me.

For me, the best part of the day is spending time speaking with residents, their relatives and colleagues. I enjoy being visible and involved because it helps me understand what’s going on and learn what support people need so we can keep on improving.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and travelling. I also value personal development and learning new things that help me grow both personally and professionally.

Belinda Phillips
Belinda Phillips
Deputy Manager

I have a level five in health and social care and chose to work for Care UK partly because of the terrific support offered, but also to be part of a really great team.

Although we are all here to give residents the very best care, my role as deputy manager also means I am here to support colleagues. As well as being a supportive leader, you need to be compassionate and have empathy and understanding.

It is wonderful to see the positive difference we can make to those we care for. In particular, when residents take part in activities they have chosen, you can really see the benefit on their wellbeing.

When I’m not working I love going on holiday and seeing the world. I also enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.

Diane Tapp
Diane Tapp
Customer Relations Manager

I am really proud of what we do here, knowing that we make a positive difference to residents and their families who trust us to care for their loved ones. I enjoy spending time with residents and love that every day brings something new.

As Customer Relations Manager, you need to be understanding and have compassion and empathy. It is also important to have up to date knowledge of what we provide and how we can help.

Before joining the team here, I was a Regional Sales Manager at publishing company, Archant. But I wanted to be part of Care UK because I really liked its ethos of caring, passionate and teamwork as they mirror my own beliefs.

I spend my free time with my family, but I also love going on holiday and eating out.

Gordana Milosavljevikj
Gordana Milosavljevikj
Lifestyle Lead

I believe that to be a successful Lifestyle Lead you need to be a positive, honest and happy person and be able to put yourself in the shoes of the residents.

Working with a great team and all the wonderful residents at Darlington Court is my favourite part of the job.

In my spare time I enjoy socialising and spending time with my family. 

Jack Gumbrell-Evers
Jack Gumbrell-Evers
Head Housekeeper

I was working as a Head Housekeeper in a four-star-rated hotel before I decided to join Darlington Court. I had worked in the care sector previously, and I wanted to come back as I missed the personal side of making someone’s room perfect to live in.

My role is to ensure the home is clean and safe for residents, and I love working alongside my team to make the residents’ rooms perfect. In this role, you need to be friendly, detail-orientated and a team player, as well as a leader.

When the residents can relax and enjoy a clean environment and a friendly chat with the team, I feel proud of what I do.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my dog and socialising with friends.

Our experienced teams

Every day Care UK colleagues live our values of passionate, caring and teamwork to empower residents to enjoy fulfilling lives.

Carers

Our hardworking teams always keep individuals and their families at the heart of the care they provide. We work with you to shape the care your loved one receives, the food they’re served, the activities and experiences they want to do – even the ways they prefer to keep in touch with their friends and family. 

Nurses

The nurses at Care UK are highly skilled and receive sector-leading training, which enables them to keep developing expertise in different clinical fields from dementia to palliative care.

Lifestyle

Our dedicated lifestyle teams work hard to organise a range of activities and events at our home. From gardening and baking to quizzes, music sessions and even live entertainment. Above all, we get to know your loved one to make sure our activities are tailored to suit their interests and hobbies.

Home support roles

From catering to maintenance, housekeeping to administration, our home support teams play a crucial part in ensuring individuals enjoy an exceptional and safe service every day.

All our teams get to know each person they care for to ensure they provide a service that’s designed around their unique needs and tastes. 

Infection control

Every colleague receives training in infection prevention and control as part of their induction and updates regularly through online and in-person learning. Our dedicated IPC Champions in each home help embed safe working practices and raise awareness of hygiene standards.